Individuals with reduced scores on standard tests of cognitive function were found to be reluctant to get COVID-19 vaccination. 

To study the link between scores from different cognitive function tests and self-reported vaccine hesitancy.

This UK-based prospective cohort study consisted of data on the vaccine of 11,740 people, aged 16 to 95 years, a week after the declaration of successful testing of the first effective inoculation. The main survey comprised of scores on general cognitive function before the COVID-19 pandemic, established from a series of 6 tests. In the COVID-19 Survey, the individuals self-reported their intention to take a vaccination.

As found, 1842 patients (17.2%) were hesitant about taking the vaccine. In addition, the study participants with a lesser baseline cognition score were more susceptible to be vaccine-hesitant following the adjustment for age, gender, and ethnicity.

The outcomes were not affected by adjustment for mental and physical health along with household shielding status. On the other hand, controlling for educational attainment led to partial reduction but with a high possibility of hesitancy. The cognitive scores depicted a linear association for vaccine hesitancy.

False social media reports might have complicated individual decision-making, making people with lower cognitive capability uncertain about taking the vaccine. In people with reduced cognition also witnessing increased rates of coronavirus infection in studies carried out before vaccine distribution, these novel findings suggest a potential disease burden.