Is Epistemic Trust relevant for Vaccine Hesitancy? A study during the COVID-19 pandemic on an Italian sample

Introduction: Vaccine hesitancy and conspiracy beliefs are social issues of growing concern which have arisen particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to investigate the multifaceted relationship between a hesitant attitude towards vaccination, conspiracy thinking, fear of infection, and the dimensions of epistemic trust, mistrust, and credulity. Methods: 297 Italian adult participants completed an online survey during the pandemic time frame which included self-report questionnaires that measured the variables of interest. Results: age group differences pertaining to prior vaccination behavior (having vaccinated in the last 5 years and having vaccinated their own children) in scores of conspiracy beliefs about vaccines and vaccine hesitancy were explored. A negative association was found between years of education and both vaccine hesitancy and conspiracy beliefs about vaccines, and a positive one with epistemic trust; higher education may protect the individual from misinformation and help in discerning between real knowledge and fake or imprecise news. A mediation model was developed between epistemic stance, vaccine conspiracy belief, vaccine hesitancy, and COVID-19-specific variables: the affective dimension (fear of contagion) and the behavioral one (number of vaccine doses). Discussion: The model demonstrates how certain structural characteristics, such as epistemic credulity and skepticism towards vaccine benefits, may indirectly affect the number of COVID-19 vaccine doses taken through fear of contracting the virus. The results support the value of exploring vaccine hesitancy and conspiracy beliefs in relation to epistemic trust dimensions, specifically in the post-pandemic era.