Understanding Indonesian academics' engagement with vaccination: Exploring the influence of fake news, ideology, digital literacy, and attitude toward science: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: The widespread circulation of conspiracy theories on social media continues to influence public discourse around vaccination, often fostering skepticism and misinformation. Academics represent a unique community whose vaccine-related behaviors may be shaped by their socio-political orientations and access to credible information. This study aims to explore vaccine engagement among Indonesian academics by examining the predictive roles of fake news exposure, digital literacy, ideological orientation, and attitudes toward science. Methods: Data were collected from 512 academic respondents across various higher education institutions in Indonesia. Multivariate correlation analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were employed to examine the relationships among variables and to test the proposed model. Results: The findings from Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) reveal that several factors significantly predict vaccine acceptance. Notably, digital literacy (Estimate = 0.477, p < .001), exposure to fake news (Estimate = 0.463, p < .001), and a positive attitude toward science (Estimate = 0.405, p < .001) were the strongest predictors. Ideological orientation (Estimate = 0.307, p < .001) and political choice (Estimate = 0.159, p = .003) also demonstrated a significant influence. Furthermore, digital literacy, ideology, and scientific attitudes were found to significantly moderate the adverse effects of fake news exposure. Discussion: The results underscore the complex interplay between misinformation, personal beliefs, and digital competencies in shaping vaccine attitudes among educated populations. Promoting digital literacy and reinforcing trust in science are crucial strategies to counter misinformation and improve vaccine acceptance in academic communities.