Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41735942›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2026

Hesitancy towards the COVID-19 booster vaccination: a thematic analysis from a focus group study in Spain.

Ángela Prieto-Campo, Ana López-Durán, Fátima Roque, Maria Teresa Herdeiro, Adolfo Figueiras, Maruxa Zapata-Cachafeiro

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Ángela Prieto-CampoDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Avenida de Vigo, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, 15782, Spain. angela.prieto@rai.usc.es.
Ana López-DuránDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Rúa Xosé María Suárez Núñez, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain.
Fátima RoqueBRIDGES - Biotechnology Research, Innovation and Design for Health Products, Polytechnic University of Guarda, Avenida Dr. Francisco Sá Carneiro, n. 50, Guarda, 6300-559, Portugal.
Maria Teresa HerdeiroInstitute of Biomedicine (iBiMED), Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal.
Adolfo FigueirasDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Avenida de Vigo, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, 15782, Spain.
Maruxa Zapata-CachafeiroDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santiago de Compostela, Avenida de Vigo, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, 15782, Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate beliefs about and attitudes towards COVID-19 booster vaccination among subjects who had received the complete vaccination schedule but had not received the booster.

methodsWe conducted a qualitative study using online focus groups made up of participants from all parts of Spain who had received the primary vaccination schedule but had subsequently refused any of the booster doses. Individuals were recruited by snowball sampling.

resultsThe study used 5 focus groups having a total of 30 participants. The thematic analysis identified 10 themes and 32 subthemes. Gynaecological problems and long-term adverse effects were associated with booster hesitancy. Participants perceived the vaccine as less necessary, as they considered it incapable of halting transmission and believed that the risk was much lower than at the onset of the pandemic. Rapid development of the COVID vaccine as compared to that of traditional vaccines, coupled with continuous changes in information, generated distrust and contributed to booster vaccine hesitancy.

conclusionsVaccine hesitancy can appear at any time and with any vaccine despite its evident public health benefits, as is the case of COVID-19 booster doses. Policy-makers should therefore focus on generating trust and responsibility when it comes to booster vaccinations.

Indexed as

COVID-19COVID-19 VaccinesHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeImmunization, SecondaryVaccination HesitancyAdultFemaleFocus GroupsHumansMaleMiddle AgedPandemicsQualitative ResearchSpainYoung AdultCOVID-19 VaccinesCOVID-19 vaccineCOVID-19 vaccine booster shotFocus groupVaccination hesitancy

Identifiers

PMID41735942
PMCPMC13040947

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.