Cognitive ability, health policy, and the dynamics of COVID-19 vaccination

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Health Economics
Year: 2023
Volume: 91
Issue: C

Authors (3)

Elinder, Mikael (not in RePEc) Erixson, Oscar (Uppsala Universitet) Öhman, Mattias (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.670 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We examine the relationship between cognitive ability and prompt COVID-19 vaccination using individual-level data on more than 700,000 individuals in Sweden. We find a strong positive association between cognitive ability and swift vaccination, which remains even after controlling for confounding variables with a twin-design. The results suggest that the complexity of the vaccination decision may make it difficult for individuals with lower cognitive abilities to understand the benefits of vaccination. Consistent with this, we show that simplifying the vaccination decision through pre-booked vaccination appointments alleviates almost all of the inequality in vaccination behavior.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:jhecon:v:91:y:2023:i:c:s0167629623000796
Journal Field
Health
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25