Politically left-leaning individuals are more likely to get vaccinated against COVID-19, although little is known about the mechanisms underlying the ideological differences in vaccination ...intentions. Understanding the extent to which trust in the healthcare system, in complementary and alternative medicine, and the perceived threat from the disease contribute to these disparities is crucial, as it could inform targeted interventions to address vaccine hesitancy across the political spectrum.
The present cross-sectional study conducted among adults living in Slovenia (
= 858) examined the mediating role of trust in the healthcare system, trust in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and the perceived threat from the virus on COVID-19 vaccination intention.
We found that leftist ideology and trust in the healthcare system positively predicted vaccination intention, whereas CAM negatively predicted this intention. In addition, left-leaning individuals expressed greater trust in the healthcare system and lower trust in CAM, resulting in higher levels of COVID-19 vaccination intention. The serial mediation model confirmed that trust in CAM was a negative predictor, while trust in the healthcare system positively predicted perceived threat.
When dealing with vaccine hesitancy among right-oriented individuals, strategies should focus on enhancing trust in the healthcare system and critically evaluating the reliance on CAM.
Vaccine hesitancy and its determinants have been previously widely researched. Vaccine hesitancy has been defined as a continuum of attitudes, ranging from accepting vaccines with doubts to rejecting ...them. The present study aims to explore the heterogeneity of a childhood-vaccine-hesitant group by using a person-oriented approach–latent profile analysis. A non-representative cross-sectional sample of vaccine-hesitant Slovenians (N = 421, Mage = 35.21, 82.9% women) was used to identify differences based on their reliance on personal research (“self” researching instead of relying on science), overconfidence in knowledge, endorsement of conspiracy theories, complementary and alternative medicine, and trust in the healthcare system. The analysis revealed three profiles of vaccine-hesitant individuals. The most hesitant profile—vaccine rejecting—expressed the greatest reliance on personal research, expressed the highest endorsement of conspiracy theories and complementary and alternative medicine, showed moderate overconfidence in their knowledge, and expressed the highest levels of distrust in the healthcare system. We further found differences in sociodemographic structure and that the identified profiles differed in their attitudes regarding MMR, HPV, and Seasonal Influenza vaccinations. The present study demonstrates the heterogeneity of the vaccine-hesitant community and offers insights into some of the traits, which are crucial for designing pro-vaccine campaigns.
By exposing more benefits than shortcomings regarding cycling, this paper focuses on university students as a significant target group that could promote cycling as the main transport mode in cities. ...The paper addresses a variety of determinants, barriers, and motivation for cycling among the university students within the international context. Furthermore, it exposes the importance of smaller university cities, where students can present a substantial share of the total population. Contextually, we present the research upon the use of bicycles among the students in the university city of Maribor, Slovenia. To examine whether social or infrastructural determinants play a decisive role, a questionnaire was conducted among 382 students. The findings revealed that although the topography of the city and the distances between crucial institutions are, in general, favorable, only 10.7% of students cycle daily, whereby 63.3% do not cycle at all. There were no statistical differences noticed between the impact of infrastructural and social factors; convenience was exposed as a statistically significant determinant, whereas the sustainability aspect proved to be an insignificant factor for students cycling. To conclude, cycling among the student population in smaller cities can represent a common case of potentially high impact of student population regarding sustainable mobility.
The present study examined predictors of the intention to become vaccinated against Covid-19 among the Slovenian public. A cross-sectional, non-probability sample was collected through an online ...survey in March and April 2020(N = 826; Mage=33.2 years). We tested four groups of predictors: demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health status and political (left–right) orientation.Our ordinal regression model explained 44% of the variance in Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy. All six predictors had a significant impact on vaccine hesitancy, which was significantly higher among women, among 30–39-year-olds, the less educated,the self-employed and unemployed, those reporting excellent self-rated health and those with a centrist political orientation (followed by right-oriented respondents).Implications of the results are discussed.
Predictors of COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccination have been extensively researched; however, the contextual factors contributing to understanding vaccination intention remain largely unexplored. The ...present study aimed to investigate the moderating role of economic development (Gross domestic product - GDP per capita), economic inequality (Gini index), the perceived corruption index and Hofstede's measurements of cultural values-index of individualism/collectivism and power distance index-in the relationship between determinants of satisfaction with the healthcare system, trust in political institutions, conspiracy beliefs and COVID-19 vaccination intention.
A multilevel modelling approach was employed on a sample of approximately 51 000 individuals nested within 26 countries. Data were drawn from the European Social Survey Round 10. The model examined the effect of individual- and country-level predictors and their interaction on vaccination intention.
Satisfaction with the healthcare system had a stronger positive effect on intention to get vaccinated in countries with lower perceived corruption and more individualistic countries. Trust in political institutions had a stronger positive effect on vaccination intention in countries with higher economic development and lower perceived corruption, while a negative effect of conspiracy beliefs on vaccination intention was stronger in countries with lower economic development, higher perceived corruption and a more collectivistic cultural orientation.
Our findings highlight the importance of considering individual and contextual factors when addressing vaccination intention.
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NUK, OILJ, UL, UM, UPUK, VSZLJ
Trust in science and scientists, satisfaction with the national government, and endorsement of conspiracy theories are important factors in the decision to be vaccinated. In this study, we ...investigated whether there are different profiles of individuals depending on the above factors and whether they differ in their sociodemographic composition. We used data from Round 10 of the European Social Survey for Slovenia, employing a nationally representative sample of 1252 participants. Based on latent profile analysis, three distinct profiles emerged: Profile 1 expressed moderate trust in science, satisfaction with government, and high endorsement of conspiracies; Profile 2 expressed low trust and satisfaction and moderate endorsement of conspiracies; Profile 3 expressed high trust and satisfaction and low beliefs in conspiracy theories. In addition, Profile 3 expressed the strongest support for vaccination and Profile 2 the lowest. Our results suggest that distrust, dissatisfaction, and the presence of conspiracy theories are the “perfect storm” for vaccination rejection. In contrast, despite conspiracy theories, a certain level of trust and satisfaction may reduce vaccination rejection.
The most sustainable dietary patterns involve the consumption of plant-based (vegan) foods, excluding or reducing animal products, including meat, fish, and dairy, yet there is a lack of research on ...determinants of sustainable dietary patterns in central European countries. The present article aimed to examine the prevalence of sustainable dietary practices and attitudes among the Slovenian public and to investigate the role of education in fostering sustainable dietary patterns. We analyzed a representative national sample of Slovenians, with data gathered in 2019 (ISSP/Slovenian Public Opinion; N = 1079; 51.2% females). The results indicate that most Slovenians do not have sustainable dietary practices or attitudes with regard to health, the environment, animals, and dietary minorities. One in four Slovenians consume meat at least once per day and one in two consume meat three to six times per week. In addition, 78.2% of Slovenians consume milk at least three times per week; more than half consume milk daily or more often. Fish consumption is the least frequent among the three food groups. At least two-thirds of Slovenians also hold attitudes that are low in sustainability. Results also show that, after controlling for confounding variables, higher educational level emerged as an independent predictor of lower meat consumption, but not of lower fish or milk consumption. Furthermore, those in the lowest educational group are significantly less likely to hold sustainable attitudes than those in the higher educational group. Finally, current student status only decreases meat consumption. Since our results show an educational gradient in meat consumption and attitudes, public health and environmental campaigns should focus on the less-educated groups, encouraging them to reduce meat intake and fostering more sustainable attitudes.
Čeprav je raven formalne izobrazbe pomemben dejavnik sprejemanja znanstvenih spoznanj in zaupanja v znanost, raziskave kažejo, da tudi bolj izobraženi posamezniki niso »imuni« za protiznanstvena ...stališča. Izobrazba se denimo v nekaterih raziskavah ni izkazala kot statistično značilen dejavnik poznavanja znanstvenih dejstev o cepljenju, izobrazba prav tako ni enoznačno povezana z namero za cepljenje proti nalezljivim boleznim. Iz dosedanjih raziskav je znano, da je zaupanje v zdravstveni sistem prav tako dejavnik, ki vpliva na stališča in vedenja, povezana z zdravjem, nejasno pa ostaja, ali to zaupanje moderira učinek izobrazbe na znanje o cepljenju in stališča do njega. V raziskavi nas je zanimalo, ali v Sloveniji bolj izobraženi posamezniki izkazujejo boljše znanje o cepljenju, ali je izobrazba povezana z namero za cepljenje proti covidu-19 in ali stopnja zaupanja v zdravstveni sistem moderira omenjena odnosa. Analizirali smo podatke, pridobljene s pomočjo spletne ankete, in sicer v novembru 2019 (Študija 1; n = 661) in marcu 2020 (Študija 2; n = 851). Multivariatna analiza je pokazala, da v primerjavi z najvišje izobraženimi udeleženci udeleženci z višješolsko izobrazbo do 1. bolonjske stopnje izkazujejo slabše znanje o cepljenju. Ta izobrazbena skupina je poleg tistih, ki imajo do srednješolsko izobrazbo, prav tako v najmanjši meri izkazala namero za cepljenje proti covidu-19. Nadalje smo ugotovili, da zaupanje v zdravstveni sistem moderira učinke izobrazbe na znanje o cepljenju in nameri za cepljenje proti covidu-19. V skupini z manjšim zaupanjem v zdravstveni sistem se verjetnost boljšega poznavanja cepljenja in namere za cepljenje proti covidu-19 poveča med udeleženci z zaključeno 2. bolonjsko stopnjo ali višjo izobrazbo v primerjavi z nižje izobraženimi udeleženci. V skupini z večjim zaupanjem v zdravstvo izobrazba nima učinka na poznavanje cepljenja, ima pa učinek na namero za cepljenje, in sicer skupini s srednješolsko izobrazbo in zaključeno visokošolsko izobrazbo do 1. bolonjske stopnje izkazujeta manjšo verjetnost cepljenja kot najvišje izobražena skupina. V sklepnem delu prispevka razpravljamo o implikacijah naših rezultatov.
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