JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Introduction: Social media has played an important role in shaping COVID-19 vaccine choices during the pandemic. Understanding people’s attitudes towards the vaccine as expressed on social media can help address the concerns of vaccine-hesitant individuals.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to understand the Swedish language Twitter users’ attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines.

Methods:

Method: A social media listening approach using a qualitative analysis was applied. Between January and March 2022, 2877 publicly available tweets in the Swedish language were extracted from Twitter. A deductive thematic analysis was conducted using the WHO 3Cs model (Confidence, Complacency, and Convenience).

Results:

Results:

Confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine appeared as a major concern expressed on Twitter. Unclear governmental strategy in managing the pandemic in Sweden and the belief in conspiracy theories have further influenced negative attitudes towards vaccines. Complacency – in terms of the perceived risk of the pandemic – highlighted that the perceived risk of the COVID-19 vaccine was low and booster vaccination unnecessary; many expressed trust in natural immunity. Convenience - in terms of accessing the right information and the vaccine - highlighted a knowledge gap about the benefits and necessity of the vaccine, as well as complaints about the quality of the vaccination services, which affected vaccine uptake.

Conclusions:

Conclusion: Swedish-speaking Twitter users in this study have negative attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines, particularly booster vaccines. This study identified attitudes towards vaccines and misinformation, indicating that social media monitoring can help policymakers respond by developing proactive health communication interventions.