Australian Covid vaccine study shows social restrictions and cash would slash hesitancy
A comprehensive study into overcoming vaccine hesitancy in Australia has found a large proportion of the undecided could be swayed with the use of financial incentives, with takeup almost 12 times more likely if a $500 payment is on offer.
But the findings, contained in a new research paper from Community and Patient Preference Research (Cappre), also show the use of social restrictions for the unvaccinated – such as the inability to travel or attend major events – would be enough for many to change their minds without any need for financial incentives.
The research comes amid fierce debate about what government policies might be needed to reach the 70% and 80% coverage rates targeted under the national plan in order to transition away from lockdowns and reopen the country.
Federal Labor has promised a $300 cash payment to everyone who gets a jab to reach the target more quickly and, while the government has ruled out adopting the policy, it has said it may consider other incentives if necessary. Lieutenant General John Frewen, who is leading the Operation Covid Shield vaccine program, has also said he remains open to the possibility of cash payments being used to boost the vaccination rate.
Asking more than 1,000 people who were vaccine hesitant how they would respond to 16 hypothetical policy arrangements, the research from the independent consultancy group identified three categories of people who were undecided about getting the vaccine. The first, classified as vaccine “resistant”, were unlikely to be swayed by any government policy response, with the report finding “social restrictions and cash incentives did not influence this group”.
About 41% of the 1,018 people surveyed were classified into this group.
About a third of respondents were considered a “watch and wait” cohort – people who were probably considering receiving a vaccine at some point and who were “highly motivated by cash incentives and social restrictions”.
The report found that without considering any restrictions or cash incentives, about half of this group would receive a vaccine by the end of the year.
Without any cash incentive for this group, social restrictions were most likely to increase vaccination in this group, and proof of vaccination to attend restaurants, cafes, movies, theatres, pubs, bars, and nightclubs increased predicted vaccine uptake by five times.
“This group may be waiting for their
preferred vaccine or until vaccine rates are higher,” the report found.
The report states that the amount of the financial incentive for this group “did not influence vaccine uptake dramatically”, with all cash incentives seeing take-up at four to five times more likely.
The third group – “hesitant, but cash motivated” – accounted for about 23% participants, with social restrictions not increasing the likelihood of receiving a vaccine to a great extent, but “higher cash incentives resulted in a greater likelihood of vaccination”.
“Cash incentives appeared to be the main factor driving choice toward vaccination,” the report said about this group.
Respondents in this group were 12 times more likely to get a Covid-19 vaccine if they received a $500 cash incentive, and more than five times more likely to get it if the payment was $300.
Across all three groups, a $300 cash incentive would see about 40% change their mind and get vaccinated.
If this payment was coupled with restrictions for the unvaccinated for things such as travel and major events, the overall percentage to get vaccinated would jump to 56%.
If just social restrictions on travel and major events were in place without a financial incentive, the change is about 41%, increasing to 52% if vaccination proof is needed for hospitality venues, public transport and shared workplaces.
The report concludes that vaccine uptake could be “increased dramatically” among those who are motivated by cash incentives and social restrictions, but that it was unrealistic to expect a scenario where all social activities require proof of vaccination in addition to $500 cash incentives.
It says a more realistic scenario may include the $300 cash incentive proposed by Labor and proof of vaccination for travel and major events.
“In this hypothetical scenario, vaccine uptake is predicted to be 53.48% amongst those who are vaccine hesitant,” the report says.
Cappre’s director of research and innovation, Simon Fifer, said the research showed that a financial incentive would be needed to convert enough of the vaccine hesitant to get the jab.
“I think it does show it is necessary because what we are looking at at the moment, if the government wants to achieve the goals it has, with Scott Morrison talking about vaccination of 70% and 80%, they are going to need to convert a high proportion of these people who are vaccine hesitant,” he said.
He said that if the vaccine hesitant accounted for about 30% of the population, about half needed to be convinced to get a vaccine to get above the targeted 80% coverage.
The report found that although “the vast majority of Australians are willing to roll up their sleeves”, there was still a portion of the population who are either unwilling or undecided.
The biggest reason for not yet receiving a Covid-19 vaccine was concern around the safety of the vaccine, followed by concerns about effectiveness, and those reporting health conditions as a reason for not getting the vaccination.
When people were given the option of choosing their vaccine type, takeup increased by about 20%, with the report suggesting this is the result of the “brand effect” between AstraZeneca and Pfizer.