Validation of a Scale to Measure the Perception of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines Acceptance: The VAC-COVID-19 Scale
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Christian R. Mejia 1 * , J. Franco Rodriguez-Alarcon 2 3, Dayana Ticona 4, Kevin Flores-Lovon 4, Marco Paredes-Obando 5, Maryory S. Avalos-Reyes 6, Laura Ccasa-Valero 7, Macarena Carbajal 8, Renzo Felipe Carranza Esteban 9, Oscar Mamani-Benito 10, Oriana Rivera-Lozada 11, Marcos Roberto Tovani-Palone 12 *
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1 Translational Medicine Investigation Centre, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima, PERU2 Asociación Médica de Investigación y Servicios en Salud, Lima, PERU3 Facultad de Medicina Humana “Manuel Huaman Guerrero”, Universidad Ricardo Palma, Lima, PERU4 Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa, Arequipa, PERU5 Universidad Nacional de la Amazonia Peruana, Loreto, PERU6 Universidad Privada Antenor Orrego, La Libertad, PERU7 Universidad Nacional del Altiplano, Puno, PERU8 Universidad Nacional Hermilio Valdizan, Huánuco, PERU9 Escuela Profesional de Psicología, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima, PERU10 Universidad Peruana Unión, Juliaca, PERU11 South American Centre for Education and Research in Public Health, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima, PERU12 Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, BRAZIL* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Introduction: Since the announcement of the start of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines development, many myths and vaccine opponents have come to the fore. Therefore, in this scenario, it is imperative to have an instrument to assess the population perception of this subject matter.
Objective: To validate a scale to measure the perception of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines acceptance.
Methods: This is an instrumental and multicentre study, through which a list of possible reasons for whether or not people would be vaccinated was generated. After submitting them to 15 experts, a pilot survey was conducted virtually in a population of almost 3000 participants in the 24 regions of Peru. Descriptive statistics and the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were conducted using the FACTOR program.
Results: The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) coefficient (KMO = 0.917) and the Bartlett’s test of sphericity (3343.3; gl = 136; p < 0.001) were conducted. According to EFA results, two factors were found to explain 58.17% of the total variance. The fit indices show that the proposed model is adequate (χ2 = 826.321; df = 43; p = 0.001; RMR = 0.054; GFI = 0.952; AGFI = 0.927; CFI = 0.946; TLI = 0.931; and RMSEA = 0.078). Finally, Cronbach’s α was found to be very satisfactory for the generated scale (α = 0.831; 95% CI = 0.82 – 0.84).
Conclusion: A simple and efficient scale was validated to assess positive and negative perceptions of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (the VAC-COVID-19 scale), with a Cronbach’s coefficient of 0.831.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Original Article

ELECTRON J GEN MED, Volume 18, Issue 5, October 2021, Article No: em303

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/11012

Publication date: 23 Jun 2021

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