Study: Family Conversations Can Help in the Fight Against Vaccine Hesitancy

A new study has found that considering family conversation patterns in the fight against vaccine hesitancy is critical. The findings by University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) doctoral students Chelsea Moss and Shelby Thomas, and UFCJC Journalism associate professor Frank Waddell,  were featured in “Hesitancy in the Home: The Relationship Between Family Communication Patterns and Willingness to Converse About COVID-19 Vaccination” published in American Behavioral Scientist on Dec. 28.

The study assessed the relationships between family communication patterns and willingness to converse about the COVID-19 vaccine with a family member, while also considering trust in the government as a moderator.

According to the authors, “Findings revealed that individuals coming from high conversation-oriented homes who are also younger, unvaccinated, and imagining the vaccine conversation with their mother or father (as opposed to other family members) were more willing to converse with a family member about the Covid-19 vaccine. Surprisingly, trust in government was not found to moderate the relationship between either family communication pattern orientation or willingness to converse about the Covid-19 vaccine.”

They add, “Our results provide helpful information for healthcare and government professionals designing messaging encouraging vaccination by highlighting the types of individuals most likely to have these conversations in the first place.”

Posted: January 4, 2023
Category: College News, Covid-19 Updates, Student News
Tagged as: Chelsea Moss, Covid-19, Frank Waddell, Shelby Thomas