Prof. Kukunda Elizabeth Bacwayo – PI

Dr. Richard Sebaggala – Co-PI

This study provides a quantitative assessment of the link between COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and vaccine hesitancy in Uganda. Amidst a global misinformation “infodemic,” researchers conducted a national cross-sectional survey of 1,201 adults to understand this relationship within a Sub-Saharan African context.  The findings revealed a high prevalence of conspiracist ideas, with 56% of respondents holding strong beliefs. A statistically significant association was established between the strength of these beliefs and vaccination likelihood (χ 2 (3)=117.65,p<0.001). Among those unlikely to be vaccinated, the majority (84.4%) held strong conspiracy beliefs. The study also identified a critical trust deficit in official institutions, with healthcare workers being the most trusted source of information (62.7%) and the government among the least trusted (24.0%). While men were more likely to endorse such theories, women who held them were more likely to translate that belief into vaccine refusal. We conclude that conspiracy beliefs are a primary, empirically verified driver of vaccine hesitancy in Uganda. We recommend that public health strategies be reoriented to empower trusted messengers, especially healthcare workers, and to directly address the specific misinformation narratives fuelling public doubt.