Study says people hesitant to get COVID vaccine might be linked to childhood trauma

The researchers found those children, who had experienced trauma are more likely to deny the COVID restrictions imposed by the government. They also linked COVID vaccine hesitancy to traumatic events in childhood. According to the study published in the 'BMJ Open Journal', the researchers observed those children who faced traumatic events in childhood, such as neglect, domestic violence or substance misuse in the family home are more prone to disobey the Coronavirus guidelines imposed to curb the spread of the highly-infectious virus. In the online survey, the researchers found vaccine hesitancy was three times higher among people who had experienced four or more types of trauma as a child than it was among those who hadn't experienced any such events in their childhood.

The researchers said they drew on the responses to a nationally representative telephone survey of adults living in Wales between December 2020 and March 2021, "Out of an initial 6763 people contacted, the responses of 2285 who met all the eligibility criteria and who had answered all the questions were included in the final analysis," according to the study published in the open journal. "The survey asked about 9 types of childhood trauma before the age of 18: physical, verbal, and sexual abuse; parental separation; exposure to domestic violence; and living with a household member with mental illness, alcohol and/or drug misuse, or who was in prison," added the researchers. 

Researchers advocated increasing their trust in health systems

They said the study found around half (52%) of the respondents said that they hadn't experienced any childhood trauma. But around 1 in 5 said they had experienced 1 type; around 1 in 6 (17%) reported 2-3, and 1 in 10 (10%) reported four or more.
Also, the respondents said they have no faith in the COVID guidelines and the vaccine developed by the reputed world scientists. According to the respondents, they had flouted the regulations occasionally and professed reluctance or refusal to get jabbed against the deadly virus.

For example, four out of 10 of those reporting low levels of trust in NHS COVID-19 information also reported vaccine hesitancy, compared with just 6% of those who did trust this source of information. "A better understanding of how to increase their trust in health systems and compliance with health guidance is urgently required. Without consideration of how best to engage such individuals, some risk being effectively excluded from population health interventions, remaining at higher risks of infection and posing a potential transmission risk to others," the researchers said.

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: Unsplash)