Multiculturalism, Vaccine Hesitancy and Rona

Beyond The Rona

Dr Joan Carlini from Griffith University, Queensland, as we discuss Dr Carlini's newly-released research on Human Behaviour & Covid19. Dr Carlini has chaired the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service Consumer Advisory Group and works with cross-disciplinary researchers. Her work specialises in consumer behaviour.

We are also joined by Kirsty Petersen, who works as a Family Law mediator and community advocate in Logan.

Conclusion: "... In regards to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, almost 70% of participants agreed that they would accept the vaccine with only 18% refusing due to concerns raised over side effects, quality of testing, and speed of vaccine development. We found a significant relationship between those who have had flu vaccinations in the past and those that would assent to the COVID-19 vaccine. This suggests that overcoming the challenge of getting everyone to vaccinate lies in focusing on the attitudes of the anti-vaccinators. In this study, we found that perceived vaccine safety as the most common reason for refusal. Drawing on past research, antivaccinators tend to exaggerate risk. Therefore, educating with clearly articulated messages that emphasise the risk of not vaccinating on an individual level is highly recommended."

Research available from: https://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/1172065/COVID-19-behavioural-insights-study-web.pdf

Study into Human Behaviour and Covid19 – done in August 2020, in QLD Australia

We discuss how this current government is focused on political gain, and instead, should focus on Consumer psychology, what health consumers are thinking about, understanding vaccination and the likely side effects.

We discuss the bungled national vaccination rollout in Australia

The unknowns of how to get a Covid Vaccination Appointment

The confusion in the Messaging in the Media of Covid19

The problems

Mistrust of government for other reasons

Conflicting rules and inconsistency – one rule for some, one for others eg sportspeople

People who are angry and don’t want to be told what to do

Difficult to get appointments

Cost of consultations

Misinformation and hearsay in social media community groups about how to book appointments

Misinformation moving fast across social media combined with mistrust of government and low health literacy

What we needed

Reaching out to local leaders within diverse communities

Need specialist response team – bushfires then covid

Gov needed to work quickly and broadly to counter misinformation at a time of public crisis

Logan Entertainment Centre as a Vaccination Centre helped people get information – opened much later

Dr Joan's 3 Big Ideas:

1. We need to understand what’s happening a lot better – we need more research

2. Current statistics to understand what’s going on – focus on the cautious and interested and use recognised strategies to remove barriers for access to vaccinations for those people. Find out their concerns, eg there are new vaccines coming out soon they might be interested in

3. Look at what’s happening internationally and report more on that, eg report more on boosters, what other countries are doing, eg Italy, UK so we can see what our future might hold

Kirsty's 3 Big Ideas:

1. To have a plan for Covid Season – a treatment plan if you happened to get Covid19

2. Information for someone if they happened to get Covid including prevention and to be prepared for when it does spread throughout the community

3. A personal plan, community plan and a plan for when you have Covid and your situation worsens