Public Attitudes and Factors of COVID-19 Testing Hesitancy in the United Kingdom and China: Comparative Infodemiology Study

• DOI: 10.2196/26895
• Publication Date: 2021-08-27T13:08:51Z
• Authors: Leesa Lin; Yi Song; Qian Wang; Jialu Pu; Fiona Yueqian Sun; Yixuan Zhang; Xinyu Zhou; Heidi J Larson; Zhiyuan Hou
• Keywords: Pandemic

Massive community-wide testing has become the cornerstone of management strategies for COVID-19 pandemic.This study was a comparative analysis between United Kingdom and China, which aimed to assess public attitudes uptake regarding testing, with focus on factors hesitancy, including effectiveness, access, risk perception, communication.We collected manually coded 3856 UK tweets 9299 Chinese Sina Weibo posts mentioning from June 1 July 15, 2020. Adapted World Health Organization's 3C Model Vaccine Hesitancy, we employed social listening examining key hesitancy (confidence, complacency, convenience, communication). Descriptive analysis, time trends, geographical mapping, chi-squared tests were performed temporal, spatial, sociodemographic characteristics that determine difference in or tests.The demonstrated higher percentage support toward than China. There much wider reports mainland China Kingdom; however, uncomfortable experiences logistical barriers more expressed The driving forces undergoing personal health needs, mandatory policies travel, major differences ranking order two countries. Rumors information inquiries about also identified.Public acceptance constantly evolve local epidemic situations. Policies campaigns emphasize importance timely rapid communication responses rumors, provide supportive environment accessing are tackling increasing uptake.