A Survey to Determine the Relationship between Health Literacy and Vaccine Hesitancy in College Students at Butler University

The prolonged pandemic has proven the need for vaccines to protect the public against COVID-19. The goal of immunity across populations has been hindered by vaccine refusal and vaccine hesitancy. Finding the root of this hesitancy could be critical in increasing vaccination, which is needed to alleviate the strain that Coronavirus has had on the world. A Qualtrics skip logic survey was created that collected demographic information, vaccine status, vaccine influences, vaccine concerns, and The Newest Vital Sign, a health literacy assessment. The purpose of this study was to find a relationship between health literacy and vaccine hesitancy in order to validate the need for further health education. The secondary objective was to find the sources of this hesitancy in the form of concerns and influences. This study had a strong response rate of 80.09%, and included 361 respondents. This study did not find a statistically significant relationship between health literacy and vaccine hesitancy. The study has found that those who are vaccinated and those who are not have statistically different levels of concern for safety, efficacy, and side effects. Influence from peers, the Butler mandate, public health, and work also had statistically different levels of effect for these individuals. Safety and understanding how the vaccine works were indicated as predictors of vaccinations. Influence from peers, public health, social media and the government were also found to be predictors of vaccination. These findings can help universities understand student’s hesitancy and help them focus further efforts in the appropriate lens