Early generational and partisan divides in vaccine acceptance in USA during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT: Partisanship is a factor behind COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in USA. A growing body of research indicates that conservative Republicans demonstrate greater vaccine hesitancy than their liberal Democratic counterparts. Importantly, older adults tend to be more conservative yet exhibit less vaccine hesitancy overall. Accordingly, this study investigates age as a moderating factor in early vaccine attitudes, addressing a gap in the current literature. Leveraging protection motivation theory and data from the Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey (N = 15 000), our analysis suggests that the relationship between partisanship and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is conditioned by age, as measured both continuously and categorically through generational cohorts. Our primary contribution is the f

SUBMITTER: Alonso G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12673329 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature