Correlation Between Covid-19 Phobia, Conspiracy Mentality, Intolerance of Uncertainty, and Vaccine Hesitancy among Assiut University Students

Abd EL-Hameed, Nadia Abd El-Ghany; Ibrahim, Mervat Elshahat; Omar Abdullah, Saleh

doi:10.21608/pssjn.2022.167701.1227

Correlation Between Covid-19 Phobia, Conspiracy Mentality, Intolerance of Uncertainty, and Vaccine Hesitancy among Assiut University Students

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Assistant professor of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Assiut University, Egypt

² Community Health Nursing Faculty of Nursing Suez Canal University

³ Lecturer of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Medicine & Health Science, Hodeidah University, Yemen

10.21608/pssjn.2022.167701.1227

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic management depends on public acceptance of vaccines and vaccine-induced herd immunity remains the best hope for putting a stop to the pandemic. However, vaccination reluctance for COVID-19 remains a significant issue. Aim: This study aimedtoexplore the correlation between COVID-19 phobia, intolerance of uncertainty, conspiracy mentality and vaccine hesitancy among Assiut University students.Subjects and method: Design: A correlational descriptive research design was used. Setting: this study conducted in six randomly selected faculties at Assiut University. Subjects: A convenient sample of 1300 male and female students from the selected faculties. Tools: Socio-demographic data,COVID-19 phobia scale, conspiracy mentality questionnaire, intolerance of uncertainty scale and vaccine conspiracy beliefs scale. The results: The participant’s students' mean age was 20.52 ±1.33 years. 80.9% had previously suffered from COVID-19. 73.1% of the students had first degree relatives with COVID-19.The total mean scores of the students regarding COVID-19 Phobia and intolerance of uncertainty scales were (50.30 ±13.31 and 28.67 ± 9.35) respectively, whereas the mean scores of the conspiracy mentality and vaccine conspiracy beliefs among the students were (29.70. ± 13.12 and 25.98 ± 9.48) respectively. Conclusion: The current study revealed a strong correlation between COVID-19, intolerance of uncertainty, vaccine conspiracy and conspiracy mentality among studied students and moderate relation between COVID-19, intolerance of uncertainty, vaccine conspiracy and conspiracy mentality and socio-demographic data. Recommendations: Use a different way of social media to explain the importance of vaccines e.g. posters, brochures, gestures, educational videos and innovative technologies such as interactive mobile apps.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Psychiatric Nursing and Mental Health

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