A matter of trust: a study about beliefs surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine

Budge, Bethany (2023) A matter of trust: a study about beliefs surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. Masters thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

This thesis examines how members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' (Mormons) perception of medical discourse influences their understanding of diseases and their adoption of potential solutions surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic. By exploring how individuals weigh various ideas when making medical decisions, especially those who belong to religious communities, the thesis aims to help medical professionals, public health officials, and social scientists understand how religion can influence medical choices. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to investigate their vaccination decisions regarding COVID-19, what information they heard about the vaccine, and what factors influenced their decision-making process. Common words and phrases were given to 34 different participants to pile sort and identify themes. Using qualitative coding and content analysis on President Nelson’s, the prophet of the church, social media post about his COVID-19 vaccination, and the ensuing comments solidified themes about politics, church concepts, and past vaccination experiences. The results revealed that personal experiences and what constitutes a reputable source played a crucial role in participants' decision-making processes. Most participants were cautious about the information they received from social media and news outlets that they considered insufficient or biased. However, personally knowing someone and their experiences were significant factors for participants when making medical decisions. The wording of President Nelson's post served as confirmation of their decision surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. Participants who had already been vaccinated re-evaluated their beliefs surrounding vaccinations because of the conversations around the COVID-19 vaccine. The definition of a vaccine and how it affects the body also determined whether participants viewed the vaccine as successful. Overall, this study provides insights into the influence of religion on medical decision-making and how individuals view ideas when making these decisions.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; COVID-19; ethnography; trust; vaccination; vaccine
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history
MeSH Subjects:	N Health Care > N06 Environment and Public Health
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of Social and Behavioral Science > Anthropology
Date Deposited:	03 Aug 2023 17:11
Last Modified:	30 Nov 2023 08:30
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/6092

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