The role of religion and COVID 19 vaccine uptake in England

Background: While many countries have successfully deployed COVID-19 vaccination programmes, there are disparities in their uptake. One factor influencing vaccine coverage is religion. Existing research has found a link between religious beliefs and vaccine hesitancy. This study looks at religion in England to examine its relationship with public health.

Methods: This analysis used data from a survey of over 12,000 respondents in England, conducted through the YouGov Online Panel. Respondents were asked whether they identified with a religion, and if so which, and the number of COVID-19 vaccinations they had received. We employed ordinary least squares regression to analyse the data, accounting for age, gender, education, generalised trust, trust in government, and political ideology.

Results: We find that respondents who identify as be part of the Church of England or Methodist religions have had significantly more COVID-19 vaccinations. Conversely, adherents to the Pentecostal, Orthodox Christian, Islamic and Roman Catholic faiths have had significantly fewer COVID-19 vaccinations. These relationships hold even when adjusting for age, education, level of trust, and political affiliation.

Conclusion: This research indicates a potential influence of religious affiliation on vaccine uptake, highlighting the need for more carefully-tailored public health programmes. Recognizing the diverse associations of different religious affiliations on health behaviour is important for shaping future vaccination campaigns and policy interventions. Engaging with religious communities and leaders may be one method through which to deal with vaccine hesitancy and improve public health.