Decision regret and influencing factors regarding COVID-19 vaccines

Objective: This study aims to examine the levels of decision regret experienced by individuals who received the COVID-19 vaccine and to investigate the demographic and health-related factors influencing this regret. Materials and Methods: The research was designed within the framework of a causal-comparative model, and data were collected from 748 individuals who had received three doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. During the data collection process, a Personal Information Form and the Decision Regret Scale were utilized, and the data were analyzed using parametric test methods through the SPSS 25 software. Findings: The findings indicate that demographic variables such as age, gender, marital status, education level, employment status, and income level significantly affect levels of decision regret. Additionally, health-related variables such as vaccine hesitancy, chronic illness, COVID-19 infection status, and experiencing a loss due to the pandemic were also found to have a significant impact on regret levels. On the other hand, no significant differences were observed in relation to the type of vaccine received, belief in side effects, or the perceived impact of the vaccine on life. Conclusion: The results reveal that health-related decisions have substantial effects on individuals' psychological processes. The study emphasizes that during crisis periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic, health communication strategies should be designed with attention to both social characteristics and individual sensitivities.