COVID-19 vaccine uptake and vaccine hesitancy in rural-to-urban migrant workers at the first round of COVID-19 vaccination in China

Abstract

Background

Migration can be linked to the transmission of COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccine uptake and hesitancy among rural-to-urban migrant workers in China, the largest group of internal migrants in the world, has not been characterized.

Objective

To investigate COVID-19 vaccine uptake and identify vaccine hesitancy-associated factors among rural-to-urban migrant workers in the first round of COVID-19 vaccination in China.

Methods

A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted, including 14,917 participants. Socio-demographics, COVID-19 vaccine uptake, vaccine hesitancy and its associated factors based on Vaccine Hesitancy Determinants Matrix (VHDM) were applied for the survey. Data were principally analyzed by logistic regression analysis.

Results

The COVID-19 vaccine uptake and vaccine hesitancy rates were 7.1% and 57.7%, respectively. Vaccine hesitancy was strongly associated with VHDM, including individual factors (female, higher annual income and fewer medical knowledge), group factors (less family support, friend support and public opinion support), COVID-19 epidemic factors (lower fatality, infection and emotional distress) and vaccine factors (less vaccine necessity, vaccine safety, vaccine efficacy, vaccine importance and vaccine reliability).

Conclusion

The VHDM model has the potential utility in efforts to reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Greater efforts should be put into addressing positive predictors associated with vaccine hesitancy.