The Impact of Fear of Needles and Self-Efficacy for Injections on COVID-19 Vaccination Behavior

Background The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for rapid vaccination; however, fear of needles and low self-efficacy for injections may have hindered vaccine uptake. Although fear of needles is common in Japan, its influence on actual vaccination behavior remains unclear. Objective This longitudinal study investigates the effects of fear of needles and self-efficacy for injection on vaccination behavior. Methods Data were collected at three time points (late June to early July 2021, late September to early October 2021, and late December 2021 to early January 2022) through longitudinal surveys conducted online. Of all the responses, 1,059 valid entries from 1,750 participants aged 15 years or older living in Japan, who provided information on their COVID-19 vaccination date, were analyzed. Survival analysis was conducted to investigate the impact of fear of needles and self-efficacy for injections on vaccination behavior. Results Results from the Kaplan–Meier estimator revealed that those with a high fear of needles or low self-efficacy for injections tended to postpone their vaccinations. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that those with higher direct fear and avoidance had lower vaccination rates. Therefore, fear of needles and self-efficacy for injections influenced vaccination behavior. Conclusion Given that both are interventional factors, approaches to reduce fear of needles and increase self-efficacy for injections may be effective in increasing vaccination coverage and promoting vaccinations. Healthcare providers should consider the possibility that patients may be fearful of injections.