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What Is the Support for Conspiracy Beliefs About COVID-19 Vaccines in Latin America? A Prospective Exploratory Study in 13 Countries
Author(s)
Caycho‐Rodríguez, Tomás
Private University of the North
Ventura‐León, José
Private University of the North
Valencia, Pablo D.
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Vilca, Lindsey W.
Universidad Norbert Wiener
Carbajal‐León, Carlos
Private University of the North
Reyes-Bossio, Mario
Peruvian University of Applied Sciences
White, Michael
Rojas-Jara, Claudio
Catholic University of the Maule
Polanco-Carrasco, Roberto
Gallegos, Miguel
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Cervigni, Mauricio
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Martino, Pablo
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
Palacios, Diego Alejandro
Universidad Mariano Galvez
Moreta‐Herrera, Rodrigo
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador
Samaniego-Pinho, Antonio
Universidad Nacional de Asunción
Lobos Rivera, Marlon Elías
Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador
Buschiazzo Figares, Andrés
Puerta-Cortés, Diana Ximena
Universidad de Ibagué
Corrales-Reyes, Ibraín Enrique
University of Granma
Calderón, Raymundo
Universidad del Valle de México
Pinto Tapia, Bismarck
Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo
Arias Gallegos, Walter L.
Universidad Católica San Pablo
Petzold, Olimpia
Université Libre de Bruxelles
Date Issued
6 de mayo de 2022
Type
Article
Volume
13
Series/Report No.
Frontiers in Psychology
Start Page
855713
End Page
855713
ISSN
1664-1078
Abstract
Conspiracy theories about COVID-19 began to emerge immediately after the first news about the disease and threaten to prolong the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by limiting people's willingness of receiving a life-saving vaccine. In this context, this study aimed to explore the variation of conspiracy beliefs regarding COVID-19 and the vaccine against it in 5779 people living in 13 Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) according to sociodemographic variables such as gender, age, educational level and source of information about COVID-19. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic between September 15 and October 25, 2021. The Spanish-language COVID-19 Vaccine Conspiracy Beliefs Scale (ECCV-COVID) and a sociodemographic survey were used. The results indicate that, in most countries, women, people with a lower educational level and those who receive information about the vaccine and COVID-19 from family/friends are more supportive of conspiracy ideas regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. In the case of age, the results vary by country. The analysis of the responses to each of the questions of the ECCV-COVID reveals that, in general, the countries evaluated are mostly in some degree of disagreement or indecision regarding conspiratorial beliefs about COVID-19 vaccines. The findings could help open further study which could support prevention and treatment efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.