Who's Skeptical of Vaccines? Prevalence and Determinants of Anti-Vaccination Attitudes in Italy

This paper investigates negative attitudes toward vaccines in Italy, where anti-vaccination movements have gained significant momentum in recent years. Considering the substantial health risk to herd immunity the issue poses, particularly after the sudden outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has become increasingly urgent to study the prevalence and diffusion of anti-vaccination beliefs. Using data from the 2016 European Social Survey’s (ESS) country specific questions for Italy, the prevalence of anti-vaccination attitudes is examined along with how they are influenced by demographic, attitudinal and value-oriented determinants. The results show that 15 percent of the Italian public strictly hold negative views toward vaccination, and the prevalence of anti-vaccination attitudes is most commonly found among those who are less educated and aged between 25 and 34. While religiosity and political conservatism do not have an effect on antivaccination beliefs, our results indicate a strong positive link between anti-vaccination attitudes and distrust in the country’s health-care systems and political institutions.