Understanding the Influence of Web-Based Information, Misinformation, Disinformation, and Reinformation on COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance: Protocol for a Multicomponent Study

Eve Dubé; Shannon E MacDonald; Terra Manca; Julie A Bettinger; S Michelle Driedger; Janice Graham; Devon Greyson; Noni E MacDonald; Samantha Meyer; Geneviève Roch; Maryline Vivion; Laura Aylsworth; Holly O Witteman; Félix Gélinas-Gascon; Lucas Marques Sathler Guimaraes; Hina Hakim; Dominique Gagnon; Benoît Béchard; Julie A Gramaccia; Richard Khoury; Sébastien Tremblay

doi:10.2196/41012

Understanding the Influence of Web-Based Information, Misinformation, Disinformation, and Reinformation on COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance: Protocol for a Multicomponent Study

JMIR Res Protoc. 2022 Oct 17;11(10):e41012. doi: 10.2196/41012.

Authors

Eve Dubé^#¹, Shannon E MacDonald², Terra Manca², Julie A Bettinger³, S Michelle Driedger⁴, Janice Graham⁵, Devon Greyson⁶, Noni E MacDonald⁵, Samantha Meyer⁷, Geneviève Roch⁸, Maryline Vivion⁹, Laura Aylsworth², Holly O Witteman¹⁰, Félix Gélinas-Gascon¹¹, Lucas Marques Sathler Guimaraes¹¹, Hina Hakim¹⁰, Dominique Gagnon¹², Benoît Béchard¹³, Julie A Gramaccia¹³, Richard Khoury¹¹, Sébastien Tremblay¹³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anthropology, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.
² Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
³ Vaccine Evaluation Center, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁴ Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
⁵ Department of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
⁶ School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
⁷ School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
⁸ Faculty of Nursing, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.
⁹ Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.
¹⁰ Department of Family and Emergency Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.
¹¹ Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.
¹² Department of Biohazard, Quebec National Institute of Public Health, Quebec, QC, Canada.
¹³ School of Psychology, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 36191171
PMCID: PMC9578524
DOI: 10.2196/41012

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has generated an explosion in the amount of information shared on the internet, including false and misleading information on SARS-CoV-2 and recommended protective behaviors. Prior to the pandemic, web-based misinformation and disinformation were already identified as having an impact on people's decision to refuse or delay recommended vaccination for themselves or their children.

Objective: The overall aims of our study are to better understand the influence of web-based misinformation and disinformation on COVID-19 vaccine decisions and investigate potential solutions to reduce the impact of web-based misinformation and disinformation about vaccines.

Methods: Based on different research approaches, the study will involve (1) the use of artificial intelligence techniques, (2) a web-based survey, (3) interviews, and (4) a scoping review and an environmental scan of the literature.

Results: As of September 1, 2022, data collection has been completed for all objectives. The analysis is being conducted, and results should be disseminated in the upcoming months.

Conclusions: The findings from this study will help with understanding the underlying determinants of vaccine hesitancy among Canadian individuals and identifying effective, tailored interventions to improve vaccine acceptance among them.

International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/41012.

Keywords: COVID-19; disinformation; misinformation; online; vaccination; vaccine; vaccine decisions; vaccine hesitancy.

©Eve Dubé, Shannon E MacDonald, Terra Manca, Julie A Bettinger, S Michelle Driedger, Janice Graham, Devon Greyson, Noni E MacDonald, Samantha Meyer, Geneviève Roch, Maryline Vivion, Laura Aylsworth, Holly O Witteman, Félix Gélinas-Gascon, Lucas Marques Sathler Guimaraes, Hina Hakim, Dominique Gagnon, Benoît Béchard, Julie A Gramaccia, Richard Khoury, Sébastien Tremblay. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 17.10.2022.