Table 1 Potential reasons and their definitions for refusing the COVID-19 vaccination
From: Individual and social determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and uptake in Northwest Syria
Reasons for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine in NWS | Definition |
|---|---|
Health concerns | Fear of side effects or possible vaccine-related disease or illness |
Low subjective risk and carelessness | Underestimating the risk of the infection and the possibility of developing a severe course of the disease, especially among people who have already contracted the infection and recovered |
Social norms | Estimating peers’ behavior and attitudes regarding the acceptance or refusal of the vaccine |
Conspiracy theory | The belief that some covert but influential organizations or pharmaceutical companies are responsible for manufacturing the virus to increase their revenues from medicine and vaccine sales or that the vaccine contains genetically harmful materials |
Spiritual and religious beliefs | The misconception of religious precepts that there is no infection and no evil omen and that the vaccination is against religious doctrines |
Poor socioeconomic conditions | Limited access to financial, educational, social, and health resources affects people’s ability to interact and engage with the response plan (e.g., side effects might cause a person to be absent from work for several days and thus lose the source of daily income) |
Disinformation and rumors | False information is deliberately and frequently spread covertly (as by rumors) in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth, including misinformation from social media |
Distrust or mistrust | Negative orientation or vigilance in whether the COVID-19 vaccine, service providers, Non-Governmental Organizations NGOs, and information are trustworthy |
Ignorance of the existence of the disease or vaccine or the existence of vaccination campaigns in the area | Lack of knowledge or information about the disease and the available vaccination services |