TY - JOUR
T1 - What Is the Support for Conspiracy Beliefs About COVID-19 Vaccines in Latin America? A Prospective Exploratory Study in 13 Countries
AU - Caycho-Rodríguez, Tomás
AU - Ventura-León, José
AU - Valencia, Pablo D.
AU - Vilca, Lindsey W.
AU - Carbajal-León, Carlos
AU - Reyes-Bossio, Mario
AU - White, Michael
AU - Rojas-Jara, Claudio
AU - Polanco-Carrasco, Roberto
AU - Gallegos, Miguel
AU - Cervigni, Mauricio
AU - Martino, Pablo
AU - Palacios, Diego Alejandro
AU - Moreta-Herrera, Rodrigo
AU - Samaniego-Pinho, Antonio
AU - Lobos Rivera, Marlon Elías
AU - Buschiazzo Figares, Andrés
AU - Puerta-Cortés, Diana Ximena
AU - Corrales-Reyes, Ibraín Enrique
AU - Calderón, Raymundo
AU - Pinto Tapia, Bismarck
AU - Arias Gallegos, Walter L.
AU - Petzold, Olimpia
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Caycho-Rodríguez, Ventura-León, Valencia, Vilca, Carbajal-León, Reyes-Bossio, White, Rojas-Jara, Polanco-Carrasco, Gallegos, Cervigni, Martino, Palacios, Moreta-Herrera, Samaniego-Pinho, Lobos Rivera, Buschiazzo Figares, Puerta-Cortés, Corrales-Reyes, Calderón, Pinto Tapia, Arias Gallegos and Petzold.
PY - 2022/5/6
Y1 - 2022/5/6
N2 - Conspiracy theories about COVID-19 began to emerge immediately after the first news about the disease and threaten to prolong the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by limiting people’s willingness of receiving a life-saving vaccine. In this context, this study aimed to explore the variation of conspiracy beliefs regarding COVID-19 and the vaccine against it in 5779 people living in 13 Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) according to sociodemographic variables such as gender, age, educational level and source of information about COVID-19. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic between September 15 and October 25, 2021. The Spanish-language COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (ECCV-COVID) and a sociodemographic survey were used. The results indicate that, in most countries, women, people with a lower educational level and those who receive information about the vaccine and COVID-19 from family/friends are more supportive of conspiracy ideas regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. In the case of age, the results vary by country. The analysis of the responses to each of the questions of the ECCV-COVID reveals that, in general, the countries evaluated are mostly in some degree of disagreement or indecision regarding conspiratorial beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines. The findings could help open further study which could support prevention and treatment efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AB - Conspiracy theories about COVID-19 began to emerge immediately after the first news about the disease and threaten to prolong the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by limiting people’s willingness of receiving a life-saving vaccine. In this context, this study aimed to explore the variation of conspiracy beliefs regarding COVID-19 and the vaccine against it in 5779 people living in 13 Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) according to sociodemographic variables such as gender, age, educational level and source of information about COVID-19. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic between September 15 and October 25, 2021. The Spanish-language COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (ECCV-COVID) and a sociodemographic survey were used. The results indicate that, in most countries, women, people with a lower educational level and those who receive information about the vaccine and COVID-19 from family/friends are more supportive of conspiracy ideas regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. In the case of age, the results vary by country. The analysis of the responses to each of the questions of the ECCV-COVID reveals that, in general, the countries evaluated are mostly in some degree of disagreement or indecision regarding conspiratorial beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines. The findings could help open further study which could support prevention and treatment efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Latin America
KW - beliefs
KW - conspiracy
KW - vaccine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130753213&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.855713
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.855713
M3 - Original Article
AN - SCOPUS:85130753213
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 13
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
M1 - 855713
ER -