A study conducted by the Research Support Unit (USR) Lleida team of IDIAPJGol — composed of Agnès Huguet, Eva Artigues, Joaquim Sol, and Marta Ortega — found that 16.8% of the population had refused some vaccine, mainly the flu vaccine.
A total of 1,312 people participated in the study: 74.5% were women, 73.7% were aged between 31 and 59 years, and 71.0% had a university education. The results showed relatively low rates of vaccine refusal (16.8%), mostly linked to the flu vaccine (10.3%). Higher refusal rates were observed among people over 60 years old, those hesitant about vaccine components, those opposed to mandatory and free vaccination, those unaware that vaccination protects the community, and people against the consumption of cow’s milk or infant formula.
Vaccine hesitancy was higher among people under 31 years old, women, parents of children under 15 years, individuals opposed to mandatory vaccination, those unaware of the community protection role of vaccination, those hesitant for economic reasons, and supporters of alternative or complementary treatments.
The study was conducted through an online questionnaire between March and December 2021, aimed at adults residing in Spain capable of making vaccination decisions. The data was collected anonymously and analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques and logistic regressions to identify factors associated with vaccine hesitancy and refusal. This approach allowed the identification of significant variables related to vaccination attitudes.
The study arises in a context where vaccination coverage in Spain is relatively high but varies by vaccine type and autonomous community. The authors aimed to identify profiles of the general population with doubts or refusal regarding vaccines. The results reinforce the idea that vaccine hesitancy is a multifactorial phenomenon influenced by contextual, individual or group, and vaccine-specific determinants. These findings highlight the need to develop strategies to improve vaccination education and combat misinformation — key aspects to effectively reduce vaccine refusal and hesitancy in the population.
Article Reference
Huguet-Feixa A, Artigues-Barberà E, Sol J, Gomez-Arbones X, Godoy P, Bravo MO. Vaccine refusal and hesitancy in Spain: an online cross-sectional questionnaire. BMC Prim Care. 2025 Apr 28;26(1):132. doi: 10.1186/s12875-025-02820-2. PMID: 40295962; PMCID: PMC12036127.
