Exposure to Misinformation, Risk Perception, and Confidence towards the Government as Factors Influencing Negative Attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccination in Malaysia

Abstract

Introduction: This study explored exposure to misinformation, COVID-19 risk perception, and confidence towards the government as predictors of negative attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out from 30 June to 30 August 2021 involving 775 respondents. The survey instrument for the questionnaire was an adaptation from various different studies consisting of five main variables: (1) misinformation about vaccination; (2) risk perception toward COVID-19; (3) attitudes toward the vaccination programme; (4) intention to get vaccinated; and (5) public confidence in the government in executing the vaccination programme. Results: The results of this study indicate that higher exposure to misinformation led to higher levels of negative attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. When the perceived risk of COVID-19 infection was high, mistrust of vaccine benefits was low but there were also higher worries about the future effects of the vaccine. Confidence in the government was associated with lower negative attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusion: The results of this study may help develop an understanding of negative attitudes toward vaccinations in Malaysia and its contributing factors.

ChatGPT Output Regarding Compulsory Vaccination and COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy: A Descriptive Study at the Outset of a Paradigm Shift in Online Search for Information

“…Reliable and accurate information on COVID-19 and its vaccines are critical during COVID-19 pandemic. Studies have revealed that having misinformation related to COVID-19 or its vaccines is associated with avoidance of preventive behaviors [ 74 ], negative attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine [ 75 ], and vaccine hesitancy [ 76 - 78 ]. These results were in total agreement with that retrieved from ChatGPT delineating the safety and efficacy of the vaccines approved for the prevention of infectious diseases This content was graded as correct, clear and concise content to a large degree by both evaluators.…”

Stigmatizing Monkeypox and COVID-19: A Comparative Framing Study of <em>the Washington Post</em>’s Online News

“…With the outbreak of COVID-19, stigma and discrimination against Chinese or Asian based on racism and xenophobia were rampant [23,34,56], and even led to large quantities of crimes against Asians [1,28,37]. Misinformation related to COVID-19 is rife in online media [60,61], which exacerbates the stigma surrounding COVID-19. The Trump administration even named the novel coronavirus as "China virus" to pave the way for its political blame on China [33].…”

The Role of Conspiracy Theories, Perceived Risk, and Trust in Science on COVID-19 Vaccination Decisiveness: Evidence from Cyprus

“…Research has shown that conspiracy theories influence vaccination decisiveness leading to a lower acceptance of the vaccination [36][37][38]. Therefore, (mis)information has been related to vaccine hesitancy and the perceived risk of the virus [39,40]. How or where one accesses information can impact whether one perceives the virus as dangerous and how willing one is to get vaccinated [41].…”

“…For instance, one study has shown that the perceived severity of the virus was one of the significant predictors of vaccination intent [45]. In fact, several studies linked risk perception with hesitancy or willingness to get vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus [40,[46][47][48][49].…”