Public Trust, Information Sources and Vaccine Willingness Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Caribbean Country

Abstract BackgroundEvaluating public trust and vaccine willingness may contribute to the effectiveness of pandemic response policies and plans. This is particularly important in developing countries, such as those in the Caribbean region. This study aimed to evaluate public trust in information sources, confidence in institutions and COVID-19 vaccine willingness in Trinidad and Tobago. MethodsA cross-sectional online survey was conducted amongst the general population in Trinidad and Tobago from November 10th to December 7th 2020. The survey instrument was a validated questionnaire developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and adapted to the local setting. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were used to analyse the data. ResultsOf the 623 responses analysed, 46.2% thought they were likely to contract COVID-19 while 37.7% considered themselves at high risk of contracting the illness. The most trusted sources of information included health workers (53.9%) and the ministry of health (42.4%). Each one unit increase in trust in the medical sector lowered the odds of believing misinformation and conspiracy theories. Overall, 62.6% of respondents said they would take the COVID-19 vaccine if available and recommended. Regression analyses showed those who agreed that everyone should adhere to the national immunization schedule and those who would take the flu vaccine, were 2.92 (p<0.001) and 3.68 times (p<0.001) as likely to take the vaccine, respectively.ConclusionOur study found that increasing trust in health sources, confidence in medical sector, adherence to the national immunisation schedule and acceptance of the flu vaccine may increase COVID-19 vaccine willingness rates. These results may guide public health response activities and identify areas for prioritisation and improvement.