Exploring the Link Between Religiosity and COVID-19 Vaccination Attitudes in Romania

This study investigates the relationship between religiosity and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination in Romania using nationally representative survey data from the Barometer of Religious Life (December 2021). Five survey items measuring religious beliefs and practices were used to construct a Religious Practice Index, whose reliability and one-dimensionality were confirmed through Cronbach’s Alpha and factor analysis. Correlation analysis revealed a small but statistically significant negative association between religiosity and vaccination acceptance (r = −0.106, p = 0.001). Binary logistic regression further indicated that higher religiosity, younger age, lower income, and rural residence were significant predictors of reduced vaccination likelihood, while older age, higher income, and urban residence were associated with greater acceptance. Nevertheless, the model explained only 9.3% of the variance and correctly classified 64.4% of cases, suggesting modest predictive power. These findings indicate that religiosity influences vaccination attitudes but does not serve as a dominant predictor, highlighting the importance of other additional factors that were beyond the scope of this analysis and were not measured.