COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, disinformation and vaccine hesitancy among library and information science professionals in Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the extent of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation, disinformation, and their effects on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among library and information science (LIS) professionals in Nigeria. The study adopted a quantitative method that deployed a questionnaire-based survey research design. Two=hundred and twenty-two (222) LIS professionals in Nigeria participated in the survey. Constructed based, on the variables synthesised from various studies, the questionnaire was self-designed on Google web form and was posted on online platforms to collect data from the participants. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics (structural equation modelling) with tables and charts adopted in the presentation of the results. Findings revealed that the extent of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and disinformation among LIS professionals in, Nigeria was at a low level. Moreover, the extent of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among LIS professionals in Nigeria was at a low level. Even at that low level, a striking finding was that COVID-19 vaccine misinformation had more positive effect (β = 0.357, p =0.001) on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy than COVID-19 vaccine disinformation had (β = 0.235, p =0.027). Moreover, COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and disinformation had jointly significantly predicted COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Efforts should be geared towards curbing disinformation and misinformation because they pose a grave danger to public health now and in the future.