Publications on Vaccine Hesitancy, Political Participation and Climate Literacy

Penker, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2026). Extending the civic voluntarism model: A cross-national study of environmental public sphere behavior. Heliyon, 12(1), e44242.

Key finding: Across 28 countries (2020 ISSP, N=44,100), the Civic Voluntarism Model explained environmental public-sphere behaviour best in affluent countries with high quality of government.

Kirbiš, A., Lubej, M., & Branilović, S. (2026). From political news consumption to political participation: The mediating role of ideological polarization across 24 countries. International Journal of Sociology.

Key finding: Across 24 European countries (ESS Round 11), ideological polarization mediated the link between political-news consumption and participation only inconsistently, with positive indirect effects in just five to six countries.

Vrdelja, M., Branilović, S., Lamot, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2026). Evaluating the psychometric properties of the 7C vaccination readiness scale: Evidence from Slovenia. Slovenian Journal of Public Health, 65(1), 25–33.

Key finding: In Slovenia (N=1,350), the general vaccination-readiness factor was the strongest predictor of vaccination intention, and the 7C scale explained more variance in intention than the 5C scale.

Lamot, M., Kirbiš, A., & Kerman, K. (2026). Are individuals with persistently high conspiracy mentality also persistently vaccine-hesitant? Findings from a three-wave panel study. Social Science & Medicine, 388, 118770.

Key finding: In a three-wave Slovenian panel (N=574), conspiracy mentality and vaccine hesitancy behaved as stable, correlated dispositions rather than causing each other over four months, with lower trust in science linking them.

Kirbiš, A., & Branilović, S. (2026). Perceived ideological polarization, trust in science and healthcare, and COVID-19 vaccination intention: A four-wave cross-lagged mediation panel analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 394, 119057.

Key finding: In a four-wave Slovenian panel (N=488) using a random-intercept cross-lagged panel model, perceived ideological polarization had no within-person causal effect on later trust or vaccination intention; between-person trust in science and healthcare predicted COVID-19 vaccination intention.

Lubej, M., Dolezal, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2026). The impact of affective polarization on political participation: A systematic review. Political Studies, 74(2), 525–548.

Key finding: A systematic review of 18 studies found affective polarization is mostly positively associated with political participation, more strongly for institutional than non-institutional forms.

Kirbiš, A., Branilović, S., & Lubej, M. (2025). Does health literacy mediate sociodemographic and economic inequalities in fruit and vegetable intake? An analysis of Slovenian national HLS19 survey data. Foods, 14(3), 378.

Key finding: Using Slovenian HLS19 data (N=3,360), health literacy partially mediated socioeconomic inequalities in fruit and vegetable intake.

Kirbiš, A., & Branilović, S. (2025). Education and meat consumption and reduction: The mediating role of climate literacy. Foods, 14(19), 3333.

Key finding: Among Slovenians aged 14–88 (N = 2,990), climate attitudes and literacy mediated the association between higher education and both lower meat consumption and greater willingness to reduce meat.

Lubej, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2025). Why does health literacy matter, and for whom? Explaining the differentiating impact of health literacy on vaccine attitudes. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1470654.

Key finding: In Slovenia (N=3,360), health literacy strengthened vaccine attitudes both directly and by reducing vaccine-myth beliefs, with stronger effects among people with healthcare training.

Lamot, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2025). Seasonal influenza vaccination uptake among health and medical college students: A discrete choice experiment. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 21(1), 2530287.

Key finding: In a discrete choice experiment with Slovenian medical and health students (N=239), higher vaccine efficacy and fewer side effects were the strongest drivers of influenza-vaccination choice.

Kirbiš, A., & Lubej, M. (2025). The impact of health on voting intent among youth in nine Southeast European countries: A mediation analysis on the role of political trust. Journal of Southeast European and Black Sea Studies.

Key finding: Across nine Southeast European countries, political trust raised youth voting intentions, and it mediated the health-to-voting link only in Slovenia.

Osterc-Kokotovič, K., & Kirbiš, A. (2025). Illicit drug use in adolescence: Associations with parenting styles, parental drug rules, and parental drug use [Uporaba prepovedanih drog v mladostništvu]. Kairos: Slovenska revija za psihoterapijo, 19(3/4), 281–307.

Penker, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2025). Education for future? Investigating the role of education in explaining active green engagement: A multilevel moderated mediation analysis. Sustainable Futures, 9, 100608.

Key finding: Across 28 countries (ISSP, N=44,100), willingness to pay for environmental protection partly mediated the education-to-green-engagement link, and the pathway was stronger in low-corruption countries.

Lubej, M., Petraš, Ž., & Kirbiš, A. (2025). Measuring climate knowledge: A systematic review of quantitative studies. iScience, 28(2), 111888.

Key finding: A systematic review of 92 studies found that the measurement of climate knowledge is inconsistent, especially in how its dimensions are defined, and calls for standardized instruments.

Lamot, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2024). Multilevel analysis of COVID-19 vaccination intention: The moderating role of economic and cultural country characteristics. European Journal of Public Health, 34(2), 380–386.

Key finding: Across 26 European countries (ESS Round 10, N≈51,000), institutional trust and healthcare satisfaction predicted COVID-19 vaccination intention more strongly in less corrupt, more developed countries, while conspiracy beliefs had stronger negative effects in more corrupt, collectivistic ones.

Kirbiš, A., Korže, V., & Lubej, M. (2024). Predictors of meat reduction: The case of Slovenia. Foods, 13(15), 2346.

Key finding: In a Slovenian survey, age was the only significant predictor of meat-reduction intentions and behaviour, with middle-aged and older adults more likely to reduce meat than younger adults.

Lamot, M., Kerman, K., & Kirbiš, A. (2024). Ideological differences in COVID-19 vaccine intention: The effects of trust in the healthcare system, in complementary and alternative medicine, and perceived threat from the disease. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1332697.

Key finding: In Slovenia (N=858), left-leaning individuals reported higher COVID-19 vaccination intention, explained by greater trust in healthcare and lower reliance on complementary medicine.

Lamot, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2024). The validity and reliability of the Slovenian version of the health literacy questionnaire short-form (HLS-EU-Q16) among adults and older adults. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1474539.

Key finding: The Slovenian HLS-EU-Q16 health-literacy questionnaire showed adequate validity and reliability among both adults (N=2,327) and older adults (N=876).

Lamot, M., Kirbiš, A., & Vrdelja, M. (2024). Exploring the inherent heterogeneity of vaccine hesitancy: A study of a childhood-vaccine-hesitant population. Vaccines, 12(8), 839.

Key finding: A latent profile analysis of vaccine-hesitant Slovenians (N=421) found three subgroups, with the most resistant marked by heavy reliance on personal research, conspiracy endorsement and healthcare distrust.

Lamot, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2024). Understanding vaccine hesitancy: A comparison of sociodemographic and socioeconomic predictors with health literacy dimensions. Vaccines, 12(10), 1141.

Key finding: In Slovenia (N=3,360), younger age, lower education and greater economic deprivation each independently predicted higher vaccine hesitancy.

Kirbiš, A., Mattila, M., & Rapeli, L. (2023). Physical health conditions and political participation in Europe: The moderating effects of age. Comparative European Politics.

Key finding: Using European Social Survey data, most physical-health conditions mobilized people into political participation (except turnout), an effect strongest among younger citizens.

Koletnik, M., Kirbiš, A., & Zupan, S. (2023). Prevajalce poučujemo jezik drugače, mar ne? [We teach translators language differently, don't we?]. Ars & Humanitas, 17(1), 109–123.

Kirbiš, A. (2023). The impact of socioeconomic status, perceived threat and healthism on vaccine hesitancy. Sustainability, 15(7), 6107.

Key finding: In Slovenia (N=661), lower perceived threat from vaccine-preventable disease and distrust of healthcare were the strongest predictors of vaccine hesitancy, consistent with a healthism explanation.

Kirbiš, A. (2023). Environmental attitudes among youth: How much do the educational characteristics of parents and young people matter? Sustainability, 15(15), 11921.

Key finding: Among Slovenian youth (N=1,508), general-track secondary students held stronger environmental attitudes than vocational-track peers, while parental education had little effect.

Kirbiš, A. (2023). Depressive symptoms among Slovenian female tertiary students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: Analysis of two repeated cross-sectional surveys in 2020 and 2021. Sustainability, 15(18), 13776.

Key finding: Among Slovenian female tertiary students (N=418), depressive symptoms rose sharply from early 2020 to 2021, with nearly a three-fold increase in the odds of reporting multiple depressed affects during the pandemic.

Osterc-Kokotovič, K., Pšunder, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2022). Cannabis use and parenting practices among young people: The impact of parenting styles, parental cannabis-specific rules, and parental cannabis use. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(13), 8080.

Key finding: Among Slovenian youth (N=839), maternal authoritative parenting, strict cannabis-specific rules and parental non-use lowered cannabis use, while parental cannabis use was the strongest predictor of use.

Lamot, M., Kerman, K., & Kirbiš, A. (2022). Distrustful, dissatisfied, and conspiratorial: A latent profile analysis of COVID-19 vaccination rejection. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(16), 10096.

Key finding: Using European Social Survey data (N=1,252), a combination of distrust, dissatisfaction and conspiracy beliefs formed the profile most likely to reject vaccination.

Kirbiš, A. (2022). The impact of cultural capital on vaccine attitudes among the Slovenian public. Vaccines, 10(11), 1947.

Key finding: In Slovenia (N=661), participation in highbrow cultural activities predicted more pro-vaccine attitudes, whereas formal education had no effect.

Lep, Ž., & Kirbiš, A. (2021). Political orientation in youth beyond the left-right divide: Testing a three-factor model of political orientation and its relatedness to personal values. Journal of Youth Studies, 25(8), 1088–1107.

Key finding: Among Slovenian youth (N=1,015), a three-dimensional model (social, economic, international) captured political orientation better than the traditional left–right scale.

Lamot, M., Javornik, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2021). Učinek izobrazbe na poznavanje znanstvenih dejstev o cepljenju in na namero za cepljenje proti covidu-19 v Sloveniji [Effect of education on knowledge of scientific facts about vaccination and intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 in Slovenia]. Sodobna pedagogika, 72(138), Special Issue, 108–128.

Kirbiš, A., Lamot, M., & Javornik, M. (2021). The role of education in sustainable dietary patterns in Slovenia. Sustainability, 13(23), 13036.

Key finding: In a national Slovenian sample (N=1,079), higher education independently predicted lower meat consumption (but not fish or milk), revealing an educational gradient in sustainable diet.

Kirbiš, A. (2020). The impact of educational habitus on subjective health and substance use and the moderating effect of gender: Findings from a nationally representative study of Slovenian youth. Annales: Anali za istrske in mediteranske študije. Series Historia et Sociologia, 30(3), 469–484.

Lamot, M., Tavčar Krajnc, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2020). Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health status and political orientation as predictors of Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy among the Slovenian public. Družboslovne razprave, 36(94/95), 55–73.

Branilović, S., & Kirbiš, A. (2025). Cognitive and affective drivers of pro-environmental behaviour among youth and adults: Evidence from Slovenia, European, and non-European regions. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Youth in Montenegro and Slovenia: A comparative analysis of sociopolitical values and behaviour (pp. 181–223). Kulturni center Maribor. (Frontier, Theory, 360). ISBN 978-961-7244-58-8.

Branilović, S., & Kirbiš, A. (2025). Demographic and socioeconomic predictors of perceived ideological polarization in Slovenia. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Youth in Montenegro and Slovenia: A comparative analysis of sociopolitical values and behaviour (pp. 225–257). Kulturni center Maribor. (Frontier, Theory, 360). ISBN 978-961-7244-58-8.

Lubej, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2025). Social media use for political information, political efficacy, and political participation among youth in Montenegro and Slovenia. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Youth in Montenegro and Slovenia: A comparative analysis of sociopolitical values and behaviour (pp. 147–180). Kulturni center Maribor. (Frontier, Theory, 360). ISBN 978-961-7244-58-8.

Kirbiš, A., & Lubej, M. (2024). The politicization of the COVID-19 pandemic. In N. Rezaei (Ed.), The COVID-19 aftermath (Vol. 2, pp. 125–143). Springer Nature. (Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 1458). ISBN 978-3-031-61942-7.

Kirbiš, A., & Lubej, M. (2024). "Yes to democracy, but this is not what we had in mind!": Satisfaction with democracy among post-Yugoslav youth in the 2008–2018 period. In M. Harring (Ed.), Growing up in times of crisis: Political socialization of youth in the Global East (pp. 185–200). Springer Nature.

Kirbiš, A., & Lamot, M. (2024). Zdravstvena pismenost in cepljenje: vprašanja, izzivi in rešitve [Health literacy and vaccination: Questions, challenges and solutions]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Zdravstvena pismenost in cepljenje v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 1–10). Kulturni center. (Zbirka Frontier, Teorija, 309). ISBN 978-961-7206-99-9.

Petraš, Ž., & Kirbiš, A. (2024). Analiza zdravstvene pismenosti v Sloveniji: pregled raziskav [Analysis of health literacy in Slovenia: A review]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Zdravstvena pismenost in cepljenje v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 11–21). Kulturni center. (Zbirka Frontier, Teorija, 309). ISBN 978-961-7206-99-9.

Korže, V., & Kirbiš, A. (2024). Zdravstvena pismenost in cepljenje: pregled raziskav in priporočila [Health literacy and vaccination: Research review and recommendations]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Zdravstvena pismenost in cepljenje v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 23–44). Kulturni center. (Zbirka Frontier, Teorija, 309). ISBN 978-961-7206-99-9.

Petraš, Ž., & Kirbiš, A. (2024). Kritična zdravstvena pismenost in cepljenje: pregled raziskav [Critical health literacy and vaccination: A review]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Zdravstvena pismenost in cepljenje v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 45–53). Kulturni center. (Zbirka Frontier, Teorija, 309). ISBN 978-961-7206-99-9.

Kirbiš, A., Petraš, Ž., Lamot, M., & Javornik, M. (2024). Kritična zdravstvena pismenost in omahovanje staršev glede otroških cepiv v Sloveniji [Critical health literacy and parental hesitancy regarding childhood vaccines in Slovenia]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Zdravstvena pismenost in cepljenje v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 55–71). Kulturni center. (Zbirka Frontier, Teorija, 309). ISBN 978-961-7206-99-9.

Lamot, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2022). Vaccine hesitancy around the world: The problem, prospects, and future directions. In R. Baikady (Ed.), The Palgrave handbook of global social problems. Palgrave Macmillan. (Palgrave Innovations in Philosophy). ISBN 978-3-030-68127-2.

Kirbiš, A., & Lamot, M. (2021). Kulturna participacija: konceptualizacija, dimenzionalnost in profili [Cultural participation: Conceptualization, dimensionality and profiles]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 1–20). Kulturni center. (Zbirka Znanstvena monografija, 016). ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.

Kirbiš, A., & Tement, S. (2021). Kulturna participacija in uporaba IKT: profili slovenskih mladostnikov [Cultural participation and ICT use: Profiles of Slovenian adolescents]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 21–58). Kulturni center. ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.

Kirbiš, A., Lamot, M., & Lahe, D. (2021). Življenjski prehodi in kulturna participacija: izobraževanje, starševstvo in zaposlitveni status [Life transitions and cultural participation: Education, parenthood and employment status]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 59–91). Kulturni center. ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.

Kirbiš, A., & Lahe, D. (2021). Značilnosti družine in kulturna participacija mladih [Family characteristics and cultural participation of youth]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 93–109). Kulturni center. ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.

Kirbiš, A., & Lamot, M. (2021). Vrednote in kulturna participacija [Values and cultural participation]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 111–156). Kulturni center. ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.

Kirbiš, A., Lahe, D., & Lamot, M. (2021). Digitalizacija sodobne družbe, uporaba medijev in kulturna participacija mladih [Digitalization of modern society, media use and cultural participation of youth]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 157–178). Kulturni center. ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.

Kirbiš, A., Cupar, T., & Tavčar Krajnc, M. (2021). Motivi in ovire kulturne potrošnje in kulturnega udejstvovanja [Motives and barriers of cultural consumption and cultural engagement]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 179–206). Kulturni center. ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.

Kirbiš, A., & Javornik, M. (2021). Odnos do institucionalne kulturne ponudbe v Sloveniji [Attitudes toward institutional cultural offerings in Slovenia]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 207–224). Kulturni center. ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.

Kirbiš, A., & Javornik, M. (2021). Makrodejavniki kulturne participacije mladih v Evropi [Macro-level factors of youth cultural participation in Europe]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 225–253). Kulturni center. ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.

Kirbiš, A., Tavčar Krajnc, M., & Javornik, M. (2021). Longitudinalni trendi kulturne participacije in IKT aktivnosti mladih v Sloveniji med letoma 2010 in 2018 [Longitudinal trends in cultural participation and ICT activities of youth in Slovenia, 2010–2018]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 255–274). Kulturni center. ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.

Kirbiš, A., Cupar, T., & Tavčar Krajnc, M. (2021). Kulturni kapital, avtoritativni vzgojni stil in razvojni izidi mladih v meddržavni primerjalni perspektivi: analiza desetih držav Jugovzhodne Evrope [Cultural capital, authoritative parenting style, and developmental outcomes of youth in cross-national perspective: Analysis of ten Southeast European countries]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 275–305). Kulturni center. ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.

Lamot, M., & Kirbiš, A. (2021). Kvalitativni vpogled v kulturno participacijo mladih v Sloveniji: analiza mladih, pedagoških in kulturnih delavcev [Qualitative insights into cultural participation of youth in Slovenia]. In A. Kirbiš et al. (Eds.), Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi (pp. 317–388). Kulturni center. ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.

Kirbiš, A., & Lamot, M. (2021). Izobrazba, splošna stališča do cepljenja ter namera za cepljenje proti gripi in covidu-19 v Sloveniji [Education, general vaccination attitudes, and flu and COVID-19 vaccination intention in Slovenia]. In I. Ž. Žagar & A. Mlekuž (Eds.), Raziskovanje v vzgoji in izobraževanju: medsebojni vplivi raziskovanja in prakse (pp. 223–239). Pedagoški inštitut. (Digitalna knjižnica, Dissertationes, 41). ISBN 978-961-270-339-4.

Cupar, T., Lahe, D., & Kirbiš, A. (2021). Odnos med vzgojnimi stili, vpletenostjo staršev in šolsko uspešnostjo mladih v Sloveniji [The relationship between parenting styles, parental involvement, and academic achievement of youth in Slovenia]. In I. Ž. Žagar & A. Mlekuž (Eds.), Raziskovanje v vzgoji in izobraževanju: medsebojni vplivi raziskovanja in prakse (pp. 261–277). Pedagoški inštitut. (Digitalna knjižnica, Dissertationes, 41). ISBN 978-961-270-339-4.

Kirbiš, A., & Branilović, S. (2026). Podnebna pismenost in prookoljsko vedenje mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi [Climate literacy and pro-environmental behaviour of youth in Slovenia and Europe]. (Zbirka Frontier, 379). Kulturni center Maribor. ISBN 978-961-7272-31-4.

Lamot, M., Kerman, K., & Kirbiš, A. (2026). Zaupanje in demokracija po pandemiji: cepljenje, informacijski viri in demokratična udeležba v Sloveniji [Trust and democracy after the pandemic]. (Zbirka Frontier, Teorija, 385). Kulturni center Maribor. ISBN 978-961-7244-95-3.

Kirbiš, A., Lamot, M., Lubej, M., Petraš, Ž., Javornik, M., et al. (Kirbiš, A., Ed.). (2024). Zdravstvena pismenost in cepljenje v Sloveniji in Evropi [Health literacy and vaccination in Slovenia and Europe]. Kulturni center. (Zbirka Frontier, Teorija, 309). ISBN 978-961-7206-99-9. [Monograph & edited volume]

Kirbiš, A., Šarović, R., Radonjić, O., et al. (Eds.). (2025). Youth in Montenegro and Slovenia: A comparative analysis of sociopolitical values and behaviour. Kulturni center Maribor. (Frontier, Theory, 360). ISBN 978-961-7244-58-8.

Kirbiš, A., Tement, S., Lahe, D., Vezjak, B., Cupar, T., Tavčar Krajnc, M., Javornik, M., & Lamot, M. (Kirbiš, A., Ed.). (2021). Kulturna participacija mladih v Sloveniji in Evropi [Cultural participation of youth in Slovenia and Europe]. Kulturni center. (Zbirka Znanstvena monografija, 016). ISBN 978-961-7118-03-2.