A Shot in the Arm for Vaccination Intention: The Media and the Health Belief Model in Three Chinese Societies

This large-sample study of three Chinese societies – Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong – demonstrates the importance of media exposure for people’s vaccination intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic. By employing two constructs (i.e., perceived susceptibility and severity) in the health belief model (HBM), the study identifies significant indirect effects of media exposure on individuals’ vaccination intention in all three Chinese societies. That said, media trust negatively moderated the path from perceived severity to vaccination in Mainland China and Taiwan. In these two societies, the higher that individuals trusted the media, the lower their vaccination intention. Generally, the combination of the HBM and media trust proved useful in explaining individuals’ vaccination intention. These findings provide practical considerations for governmental agencies, public institutions, and health campaign designers to promote vaccination in the pandemic.