COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Turkey: Conspiracy Beliefs, Fear and Stress

• DOI: 10.14267/cjssp.2023.2.7
• Publication Date: 2024-03-21T11:14:44Z
• Authors: Mine Aydemir-Dev; Onur Barca; Nuran Bayram-Arlı; Veysel Bozkurt
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine

The aim of this study is to examine factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. An online survey was conducted to collect the data to be evaluated. The survey included demographic questions and four scales: vaccine hesitancy, fear of COVID-19, stress, and vaccine conspiracy beliefs. Four hundred and ninety-six people answered the survey in Turkey. A conceptual model was established and estimated with a structural equation model to explore the relationships. The findings identified a statistically significant direct effect on vaccine hesitancy of conspiracy beliefs, fear, and stress. Accordingly, it was concluded that individuals with a firm belief in vaccine conspiracies, high stress levels, and low fear of COVID-19 had high levels of vaccine hesitancy. This article suggests the importance of public access to accurate information and low stress levels.