Is the Degree of Social Media usage Influencing COVID-19 Vaccinations in Jamaica?

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Paul Andrew Bourne
Department of Institutional Research, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
Justeen Brown
Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
Tiffany Hoyte
Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
Leanna Rowe
Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
Shawna Kaye Stephenson
Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
James Fallah
Department of Dental Hygiene, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
Calvin Campbell
Department of Mathematics and Engineering, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
Clifton Foster
Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
Caroline McLean
Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
Dian Russell Parkes
Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
Tabitha Muchee
Scholarship and Student Aid, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
Othniel Scott
Educational Consultant, West Palm Beach, Florida, United States.

Abstract

Social media (SM) has improved the lives of many individuals through sharing, learning, marketing, and interacting. However, SM has at times offered misleading information, thereby giving rise to false narratives. This quantitative investigation examines the relationship between SM usage and COVID-19 vaccination, and explores whether usage of particular SM platforms offer any clues regarding one’s disposition towards taking the COVID-19 vaccine. The Analytical methods used in this research included convenience non- probability sampling (n= 1080), and a questionnaire generated using Google Forms, and consisted of 24 close-ended questions was implemented to collect data. A message containing the link to the survey was forwarded to participants using the SM platforms, WhatsApp and Instagram. Participants were 18 years of age and older, and residing in Jamaica at the time of the survey. Cross Tabulation, Pearson’s Chi Square test, and the KMO and Bartlett’s Test were also used to determine the relationship between independent and dependent variables, and all retrieved data were analyzed using Google Forms, IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows. On average, SM usage among Jamaicans was found to be appreciatively high (Mean= 37.58 ± 10.26, out of 60.0). At alpha= 0.05 the Chi Squared test was found to be statistically significant due to the p- value (< .001) < 0.05. In short, COVID-19 vaccination rate was shown to have a high correlation with SM usage and appeared to favor specific SM platforms.

Article Details

Issue
Vol 7 No 1 (2022): International Journal on Transformations of Media, Journalism & Mass Communication (ISSN: 2581-3439)
Section
Articles