What can we learn to increase vaccination in Latin America: Factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination

Background: Even though vaccination may serve to effectively overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine hesitancy is still prevalent and affected by different variables. This research is intended to understand which variables influence the likelihood of an individual getting a COVID-19 vaccine in a sample from Latin America, applying the COM-B model. Method: 368 individuals from Latin America answered a self-administered, cross-sectional survey from the iCARE study. Survey data began in March 2020 using convenience snowball sampling (globally) and parallel representative sampling in targeted countries. Results: A structural equation model showed that knowing that getting vaccinated will help protect others, wanting to contribute to high vaccination rates among the population to achieve herd immunity, and believing that getting vaccinated would reduce personal worries and anxiety predict the likelihood of an individual getting vaccinated. This shows that in this sample, motivators are more salient than capabilities and opportunities regarding vaccination uptake. Conclusions: Campaigns to reduce vaccine hesitancy need to highlight the prosocial factors of getting vaccinated and increase vulnerability and risk perceptions regarding the disease.