PUBLIC PERCEPTION ABOUT COVID-19 VACCINE HESITANCY IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA

Author

• Rita Nnenne Oparaocha, University of Nebraska at KearneyFollow

Date of Award

Fall 12-19-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biology

First Advisor

Dr. Todd Bartee

Committee Members

1. Dr. Joseph Dolence
2. Dr. Erin Sweeney
3. Dr. Aravind Menon

Keywords

COVID-19, Vaccine Hesitancy, 5C Framework, Rural Communities, Risk Perception, Confidence, Health disparities, South-Central Nebraska, Vaccination Attitudes, Rights and Reticence

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic created a shift in the trajectory of vaccination hesitancy, altering risk perceptions and vaccination attitudes among individuals in rural communities. The 5C framework highlights confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation, and collective responsibility as influencing factors of vaccine hesitancy. This study assessed the proportion of adults who refused COVID-19 vaccination and identified the individual reasons for hesitancy among those who refused the COVID -19 vaccines in South Central Nebraska. Data was analyzed from a local cross-sectional public health survey administered to 2,034 adult participants over a six-month period (March-August 2024), including 91 respondents who were from outside the seven-county region in South Central Nebraska. Bivariate analysis was performed with significance set at (p < 0.05) to assess the demographic determinants of COVID-19. Directed framework and inductive thematic analysis was utilized to identify and categorize individual reasons for vaccine hesitancy. There was a significant association between vaccine hesitancy levels and the different demographics: (Race: X² = 65.57, df = 6, N = 1930, p < .001) Education: (X² = 23.80, df = 7, N = 1929, p = .001) County: (X² = 47.18, df = 9, N = 1890, p < .001). Framework analysis revealed that participants' reasons represented all 5C components; confidence (34.30%), complacency (17.90%), calculation (17.40%), collective responsibility (16.90%), and constraint (10.00%). However, (3.50%) of the reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy were outliers and did not fit into the context of the 5C framework. These reasons were classified under two (2) themes which include rights and reticence. Findings from this study will help guide strategies that will promote positive vaccination attitudes in South Central Nebraska.

Recommended Citation

Oparaocha, Rita Nnenne, "PUBLIC PERCEPTION ABOUT COVID-19 VACCINE HESITANCY IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA" (2025). Biology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity. 23.
https://openspaces.unk.edu/bio-etd/23