Publication date: May 20, 2025

Background/Objectives: Vaccine hesitancy has increased during the coronavirus pandemic, a period marked by the spread of disinformation and conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines. This qualitative study aimed to explore the beliefs and attitudes of Spaniards towards COVID-19 vaccines and analyze the role of information sources in this process. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 residents of Spain who exhibited varying levels of vaccine hesitancy. Through thematic content analysis, the narratives supporting vaccination-related decisions, as well as the influence and trust in information sources, were examined. Results: Reasons for getting vaccinated included perceptions of it being “almost an obligation” and “fear of illness and death”. Conversely, reasons for not getting vaccinated included “uncertainty about vaccines”, the belief that “the risk is not real”, and the perception that “vaccination is a personal decision”. Regarding vaccine-related information sources, interviewees expressed distrust of the media, particularly television, as they considered news about vaccine effectiveness and characteristics to be contradictory and constantly changing, which created uncertainty about its reliability. Most interviewees were unsure if social media influenced their decision not to get vaccinated. However, those who acknowledged its impact mentioned trusting sources such as people with a university education. Additionally, close contacts-particularly healthcare professionals-had a significant influence on the decision not to get vaccinated. Conclusions: This study shows that the decision not to vaccinate is shaped by personal beliefs and sources of information-particularly social media and close acquaintances, including healthcare professionals.

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Semantics

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