Approaches to the Perceptions of Kazakhstani Citizens on the Effects of Fake News on Vaccine Hesitancy

Abstract

Vaccine hesitancy remains a major public health challenge, particularly in the context of widespread misinformation and declining institutional trust. This study investigates the effects of fake news, trust in official sources, prior vaccination behavior, and demographic factors on COVID-19 vaccination uptake in Kazakhstan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 262 respondents, and the data were analyzed using logistic regression with L2 regularization. Key findings indicate that individuals who received other vaccines in the past five years were nearly four times more likely to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Trust in government sources was also a significant positive predictor, while belief in fake news reduced vaccination likelihood by approximately 10%. Demographic variables such as age, gender, and education played additional roles, with men and less-educated individuals showing higher hesitancy. The study highlights the critical importance of behavioral consistency, institutional credibility, and information source reliability in shaping vaccination decisions. These results contribute to the broader literature on public health communication and vaccine acceptance, offering insights relevant to post-Soviet and digitally connected societies. Policy implications include strengthening trust-based communication, promoting routine immunization, and countering misinformation through media literacy and targeted outreach. The findings are vital for designing evidence-based strategies to improve vaccine uptake during current and future health crises.