COVID-19 vaccine risk perception in cancer patients: Psychometric validation of a new screening tool

Simone Cheli, Maria Simona Pino, Marta Floridi, Veronica Cavalletti, Luisa Fioretto, Gil Goldzweig

Accepted December 31, 2021

First published December 31, 2021

https://doi.org/10.26387/bpa.292.3

Abstract

This study aimed at pilot-testing a new screening tool for assessing risk perception of and hesitancy about anti-COVID-19 in patients diagnosed with cancer. We recruited consecutive cancer patients (n = 356) who were either in treatment or follow-up. All the participants completed several measures of risk perception, confidence in safeguards, treatment adherence, and psychosocial distress. Scree plot and parallel analysis suggest a unifactorial structure (explained variance = 47.816%). The total scale was found a reliable 7-item measure (Cronbach’s a = .806; McDonald’s W= .810). Correlations and comparisons to other measures confirmed concurrent and predictive validity. The new measure reports a moderate correlation (r = .410; p<.001) with treatment non-adherence, whereas the correlation with distress was not significant. In conclusion, the new measure seems to be a reliable and valid tool for assessing risk anti-COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in patients diagnosed with cancer. Further research is needed to confirm the unifactorial structure or better understand the underlying psychological mechanisms of vaccine hesitancy.

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Author Surname Author Initial. Title. Publication Title. Year Published;Volume number(Issue number):Pages Used. doi:DOI Number.


Cheli Simone. Pino Maria Simona. Floridi Marta. Cavalletti Veronica. Fioretto Luisa. Goldzweig Gil. COVID-19 vaccine risk perception in cancer patients: Psychometric validation of a new screening tool. BPA Applied Psychology Bulletin. 2021;292(1):26-38. doi:10.26387/bpa.292.1.

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Author Surname Author Initial. Title. Publication Title. Year Published;Volume number(Issue number):Pages Used. doi:DOI Number.


Cheli Simone. Pino Maria Simona. Floridi Marta. Cavalletti Veronica. Fioretto Luisa. Goldzweig Gil. COVID-19 vaccine risk perception in cancer patients: Psychometric validation of a new screening tool. BPA Applied Psychology Bulletin. 2021;292(1):26-38. doi:10.26387/bpa.292.1.