KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — A recent study here has shown that women respondents were keener on getting vaccinated against Covid-19, with 85 per cent of them indicating likeliness to get vaccinated compared to male counterparts at only 79 per cent.

The survey, titled “Perception Towards Covid-19 Vaccine” — jointly undertaken by Ipsos Malaysia, Monash University, Sunway University, and Universiti Sains Malaysia — also highlighted that vaccine hesitancy is a concern among “millennials” and those in lower-educated groups.

“Intention is higher among older age groups who are more vulnerable to severe illness from Covid-19. Higher intention among females may be attributed to women being more health-conscious than men.

“Nevertheless, it is concerning that 21 per cent of males; 32 per cent of the 18 to 30 age group; and 24 per cent of the lower-educated group are either unsure or have no intention to get vaccinated,” the survey said.

The survey shared that 88 per cent of those above 60 indicated intentions to get vaccinated, while only 68 per cent of those below 60 showed the same indications.

As for education groups, 85 per cent of those with tertiary education wanted to be vaccinated, while only 76 per cent of those with secondary education or lower said the same.

The survey also shared that a lower percentage of youths have a positive attitude towards vaccination, while it is higher among women, the elderly and the highly-educated.

It said that only 50 per cent of those between 18 and 30 had positive attitudes towards the vaccine, while the highest percentage of positivity came from those above 60, at 75 per cent.

It also shared that women had a more positive attitude towards being vaccinated, with 67 per cent sharing that getting vaccinated is good and beneficial, as compared to their male counterparts, at 63 per cent.

In terms of education groups, those with tertiary education have the highest positivity rate at 70 per cent, while only 57 per cent and 58 per cent of those with diplomas or secondary or lower educations showed positive attitudes towards the vaccine.

The study was conducted among 804 adults aged 18 and above online between June 11 and 20, 2021, to assess people’s feelings on receiving Covid-19 vaccines in Malaysia and to understand the differences in drivers across different demographic groups.