A path model of psychosocial constructs predicting future Zika vaccine uptake intent

OBJECTIVE: The recent Zika virus outbreak, while no longer an international public health emergency, is still a serious threat, particularly to pregnant women and babies born to pregnant women infected with the virus. This study examined the predictive effects of psychosocial constructs on self-reported intent to get a future Zika vaccine among women of reproductive age.

METHODS: Data were collected using an online survey with a representative sample of 339 women ages 18-49 from the continental United States. The survey addressed variables originating with the Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM) as related to future Zika vaccine uptake intent.

RESULTS: Three quarters of all respondents reported intention to get a future Zika vaccine. Path modeling revealed a direct effect of perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, and response efficacy on future Zika vaccine uptake intent, as well as an indirect effect of perceived susceptibility through both self-efficacy and response efficacy. In addition, the final model showed an indirect effect of perceived severity on Zika vaccine uptake intent through self-efficacy and response efficacy and accounted for 54.6% of the variance in vaccination intent.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings have implications for future Zika vaccine promotion campaigns. This study confirms the importance of perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, and response efficacy for use in Zika vaccine uptake campaigns; in addition, when using perceived severity, both self-efficacy and response efficacy should be considered in message design.