The Centre for Social Sciences Research (CSSR) and the  Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa  (IDCPPA) at the University of Cape Town invite you to join us for a lunchtime seminar on 17 June 2025 at 12:45pm. The seminar will be presented by Morgan Watson.

About the Seminar:

Investigating Predictors Of Willingness To Receive An HIV Vaccine In A South African Sample Of Young Adults

HIV remains a major global health challenge, with significant morbidity, mortality, and economic burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. High HIV incidence remains among youth, especially young women is a cause for concern. Experts agree that a protective HIV vaccine is critical to fully control the epidemic. Yet, as recent events have shown, vaccine availability does not guarantee public acceptance. Understanding young adults' willingness to receive an HIV vaccine is therefore essential.

This quantitative cross-sectional study explored HIV vaccine willingness and its associated factors among 173 HIV-negative young adults (aged 18-25) recruited from two youth clinics in Khayelitsha, Cape Town-a high-incidence area likely to be targeted by initial vaccination efforts. Data were collected through facilitated face-to-face surveys in English or isiXhosa and stored on REDCap. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 28.01, 2021) and included descriptive statistics, Fisher's Exact Test, one-way ANOVA, nonparametric alternatives where appropriate, and regression analyses.

Findings indicated high overall willingness to receive an HIV vaccine (82.04%). HIV stigma and the psychological antecedents of collective responsibility and constraints were significant predictors of willingness. Sociodemographic factors, HIV knowledge, and perceived HIV risk and severity showed no significant associations. These results suggest that public health efforts should prioritise building collective responsibility and addressing stigma and barriers to vaccine access to improve future uptake among young adults in South

Speakers

Morgan Watson is a research assistant at the Accelerate Hub at the Centre for Social Science, University of Cape Town. She holds a BSc in Human Life Sciences, an Honours in Psychology, and a Master's in Behavioural Medicine. Morgan is passionate about improving health equity and is committed to ensuring equal access to both physical and mental healthcare. Her work focuses on research that supports inclusive, community-driven solutions to health challenges.

 17 June 2025
 12:45 - 14:00 SAST
  CSSR Seminar Room, 4.29 Robert Leslie Social Science Building, UCT

Hosted by the Centre for Social Science Research and the Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa