COVID-19 vaccine acceptances and barriers to vaccination in the context of Kerala: a cross-sectional survey

Background: The long-term control of the pandemic COVID-19 pandemic hinges on the uptake of vaccine and high immunization uptake is critical but barriers to immunization exists. Vaccine hesitancy is one of the top 10 threats to global health. Hesitancy will be a challenge to curbing this pandemic. Apt vaccination strategies are very essential to increase vaccine acceptance.Methods: A cross‐sectional study among the population in Kerala where data was collected through an online questionnaire using Google forms and was distributed using social media platforms. Total of 213 data was collected. Study focused on aspects of vaccine communication, preference of COVID-19 vaccine, perceived benefits, and barriers of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and cues of vaccine.Results: 80.2% of the respondents were willing to get vaccinated. 78.9% of the respondents have taken previous vaccinations by the government. 70 of them trust government health care departments and media (82.2%) is the least trusted platform regarding vaccination. 56.3% are not getting enough information on COVID vaccine safety, while 81.2% of the respondents did not receive negative information. A majority of them (64.3%) relied on official government websites for information. Majority agrees to the perceived benefits of COVID-19. 80.3% are willing to take free vaccination. 46.9 % are willing to pay for COVID vaccine.Conclusions: The scenario in Kerala is positive towards the vaccination drive and majority of them are willing to get vaccinated. But strategies must be made effective in terms of elevating the barriers to vaccination.

Download Full-text

A cross sectional study on COVID-19 vaccine acceptances and barriers to vaccination in district Jhansi

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health ◽

10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20213784 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (10) ◽

pp. 4868

Author(s):

Vimal Arya ◽

Mahendra Chowksey

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

The Government ◽

Trusted Platform

Background: The long-term control of the pandemic COVID-19 pandemic hinges on the uptake of vaccine and high immunization uptake is critical. Vaccine hesitancy is one of the top 10 threats to global health. Hesitancy will be a challenge to curbing this pandemic.Methods: A cross‐sectional study was done among the population in Jhansi where data was collected through an online questionnaire using Google forms and was distributed using social media platforms. Total of 220 data was collected.Results: 80.2% of the respondents were willing to get vaccinated. 78.9% of the respondents have taken previous vaccinations by the government. 70 of them trust government health care departments and media (82.2%) is the least trusted platform regarding vaccination. Majority agreed to the perceived benefits of COVID-19. 80.3% were willing to take free vaccination. 46.9% were willing to pay for COVID vaccine.Conclusions: The scenario in Jhansi was positive towards the vaccination drive and majority of them were willing to get vaccinated. But strategies must be made effective in terms of elevating the barriers to vaccination.

Download Full-text

Predictors of Intention to Vaccinate against COVID-19 in the General Public in Hong Kong: Findings from a Population-Based, Cross-Sectional Survey

Vaccines ◽

10.3390/vaccines9070696 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 696

Author(s):

Elsie Yan ◽

Daniel W. L. Lai ◽

Vincent W. P. Lee

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Health Belief ◽

Vaccine Safety ◽

Population Based ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

To Receive

Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of COVID-19. Understanding factors associated with intention to receive COVID-19 vaccines is the key to a successful vaccination programme. This cross-sectional study explored the rate of vaccination intention and identified its predictors using the health belief model (HBM) in the general population in Hong Kong during the pandemic. Data were collected between December 2020 and January 2021 via telephone surveys. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with intention to receive COVID-19 vaccines. A total of 1255 adults (>18 years, 53% female) completed the telephone survey. Overall, 42% indicated an intention to vaccinate, 31.5% showed vaccine hesitancy, and 26.5% reported refusal to receive any COVID-19 vaccines. Individuals who were men, older in age, working, with past experiences of other pandemics, less concerned with the vaccine safety, with poorer knowledge about COVID-19, and having greater levels of perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, cues to action, and acceptance of governmental preventive measures related to COVID-19 were significantly more likely to report an intention to vaccinate. The low intention among the Hong Kong population reflects the importance of developing effective vaccination promotion campaigns with the predictors identified in this study.

Download Full-text

Assessing the level and determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence in Kenya

10.1101/2021.06.11.21258775 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Stacey Orangi ◽

Jessie Pinchoff ◽

Daniel Mwanga ◽

Timothy Abuya ◽

Mainga Hamaluba ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Economic Loss ◽

Vaccine Safety ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Major Barrier ◽

The Government ◽

Vaccine Confidence ◽

Context Specific

The government of Kenya has launched a phased rollout of COVID-19 vaccination. A major barrier is vaccine hesitancy; the refusal or delay of accepting vaccination. This study evaluated the level and determinants of vaccine hesitancy in Kenya. We conducted a cross-sectional study administered through a phone-based survey in February 2021 in four counties of Kenya. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify individual perceived risks and influences, context-specific factors, and vaccine-specific issues associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Kenya was high: 60.1%. Factors associated with vaccine hesitancy included: older age, lower education level, perceived difficulty in adhering to government regulations on COVID-19 prevention, less adherence to wearing of face masks, not having ever been tested for COVID-19, no reported socio-economic loss as a result of COVID public-health restriction measures, and concerns regarding vaccine safety and effectiveness. There is a need for the prioritization of interventions to address vaccine hesitancy and improve vaccine confidence as part of the vaccine roll-out plan. These messaging and/or interventions should be holistic to include the value of other public health measures, be focused and targeted to specific groups, raise awareness on the risks of COVID-19 and effectively communicate the benefits and risks of vaccines.

Download Full-text

Expectations of citizens from the government in response to COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Iran

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10722-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Leila Zarei ◽

Saeed Shahabi ◽

Ahmad Kalateh Sadati ◽

Reza Tabrizi ◽

Seyed Taghi Heydari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Main Body ◽

Close Monitoring ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Health Related ◽

The Face ◽

The Government

Abstract Background The government is the main body in charge of controlling epidemics; hence, expectations from the intention and capacities of the government would affect the flexibility and behaviors of citizens. Given the severity of COVID-19 pandemic and the urgent need for cooperation of people in the prevention and combat processes, understanding the public perspectives would be crucial and instructive. This study aimed to explore such perspectives towards the current pandemic among the Iranian. Indeed, we sought to provide a favorable platform for effective policies in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic through recognizing public expectations. Methods This cross-sectional survey used an open-ended online questionnaire to investigate the common perspectives of the Iranian towards the response of government to COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were selected using snowball and convenient sampling techniques across the country. The collected data were analyzed and described using a thematic analysis. Results In general, 2547 participants agreed to participate in this study and completed the online questionnaire. According to the findings, the Iranian exhibited several expectations regarding the response of the government to COVID-19 pandemic. Three main themes were extracted based on these expectations: (1) health-related expectations, (2) policy-related expectations, and (3) Information-related expectations. In this study, a majority of participants highlighted the need to consider and follow-up the patients and their families, providing the financial and hygiene support during the pandemic, applying strict restrictions, and using close monitoring and controlling procedures. Furthermore, they mentioned that authorities and news agencies should observe the principals honesty and transparency. Conclusions Our findings revealed that people expect the government and other responsible institutions to minimize the burden of this pandemic through adopting effective policies. Also, they could help policy-makers become aware of the expectations of people and develop better strategies.

Download Full-text

Citizens’ Expectations from Government in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic: A cross-sectional study in Iran

10.21203/rs.3.rs-25745/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Leila Zarei ◽

Saeed Shahabi ◽

Ahmad Kalateh Sadati ◽

Reza Tabrizi ◽

Seyed Taghi Heydari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Main Body ◽

Close Monitoring ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Health Related ◽

The Face ◽

The Government

Abstract Background: The government is the main body in charge of controlling epidemics; hence, expectations from government’s intention and capacity would affect citizens’ behavior and flexibility. Given the severity of COVID-19 pandemic and an urgent need for people's cooperation in the prevention and combat processes, understanding the public perspectives would be crucial and instructive. This study aimed to explore such perspectives towards the current pandemic among the Iranian. Indeed, we sought to provide a favorable platform for effective policies in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic by recognizing public expectations.Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey and text data were collected in three areas. We used an open-ended online questionnaire to investigate the common perspectives of the Iranian towards government’s response to COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were selected using snowball and convenient sampling techniques across the country. The collected data were analyzed and described using thematic content analysis. Results: In general, 2547 participants agreed to participate in this study and completed the online questionnaire. According to the findings, the Iranian exhibited several expectations regarding the government's response to COVID-19 pandemic, based on which three main themes were extracted: (1) health-related expectations, (2) policy-related expectations, and (3) mass media-related expectations. In this study, a majority of the participants highlighted the need to consider and follow-up the patients and their families, provide financial and hygiene support during the pandemic, apply strict restrictions, and have close monitoring and controlling procedures. Furthermore, they mentioned that authorities and news agencies should observe honesty and transparency principals.Conclusions: Our findings revealed that people expect the government and other responsible institutions to minimize the burden of this pandemic on them through adopting effective policies. The study findings could help policy-makers become aware of people's expectations and develop better strategies.

Download Full-text

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Medical Students: The Next COVID-19 Challenge in Wuhan, China

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2021.291 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-22

Author(s):

Xudong Gao ◽

Haiyan Li ◽

Wenjie He ◽

Wen Zeng

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Health Department ◽

Vaccine Safety ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Knowledge Questionnaire ◽

Demographic Questionnaire ◽

Vaccination Decision ◽

The Government

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the level of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy among medical students in Wuhan, China, and to identify the factors and barriers associated with their vaccination decision. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was launched with 612 medical students recruited by convenience sampling from six universities. Data collection measures mainly included a demographic questionnaire, COVID-19 vaccine knowledge questionnaire, and the vaccine hesitancy scale. Results: A total of 58.2% of medical students reported vaccine hesitancy. The most common reasons for this were worrying about the side effects of vaccines (44.4%), uncertainty about vaccine safety (40.4%), and underestimating the risk of exposure to COVID-19 (27.9%). The main factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among participants were their knowledge about COVID-19 vaccine, training related to COVID-19 vaccines, family address, and education level (P<0.05). Conclusions: The government, health department and universities in China need to work together and actively communicate with vaccine-hesitant students, establish a standardized COVID-19 vaccine course, and provide on-campus vaccination services.

Download Full-text

Assessing the Level and Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence in Kenya

Vaccines ◽

10.3390/vaccines9080936 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 936 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Stacey Orangi ◽

Jessie Pinchoff ◽

Daniel Mwanga ◽

Timothy Abuya ◽

Mainga Hamaluba ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vaccine Safety ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Major Barrier ◽

Perceived Difficulty ◽

Specific Factors ◽

The Government ◽

Vaccine Confidence ◽

Context Specific

The government of Kenya has launched a phased rollout of COVID-19 vaccination. A major barrier is vaccine hesitancy; the refusal or delay of accepting vaccination. This study evaluated the level and determinants of vaccine hesitancy in Kenya. We conducted a cross-sectional study administered through a phone-based survey in February 2021 in four counties of Kenya. Multilevel logistic regression was used to identify individual perceived risks and influences, context-specific factors and vaccine-specific issues associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Kenya was high: 36.5%. Factors associated with vaccine hesitancy included: Rural regions, perceived difficulty in adhering to government regulations on COVID-19 prevention, no perceived COVID-19 infection risk, concerns regarding vaccine safety and effectiveness, and religious and cultural reasons. There is a need for the prioritization of interventions to address vaccine hesitancy and improve vaccine confidence as part of the vaccine roll-out plan. These messaging and/or interventions should be holistic to include the value of other public health measures, be focused and targeted to specific groups, raise awareness on the risks of COVID-19 and effectively communicate the benefits and risks of vaccines.

Download Full-text

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Ethiopian healthcare workers

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0261125 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (12) ◽

pp. e0261125

Author(s):

Rihanna Mohammed ◽

Teklehaimanot Mezgebe Nguse ◽

Bruck Messele Habte ◽

Atalay Mulu Fentie ◽

Gebremedhin Beedemariam Gebretekle

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Addis Ababa ◽

Vaccine Safety ◽

Vaccine Uptake ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

International Firms ◽

The Government ◽

Regional Health Authorities

Introduction COVID-19 poses significant health and economic threat prompting international firms to rapidly develop vaccines and secure quick regulatory approval. Although COVID-19 vaccination priority is given for high-risk individuals including healthcare workers (HCWs), the success of the immunization efforts hinges on peoples’ willingness to embrace these vaccines. Objective This study aimed to assess HCWs intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and the reasons underlying vaccine hesitancy. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among HCWs in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from March to July 2021. Data were collected from eligible participants from 18 health facilities using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression was performed to explore factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. A p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 614 HCWs participated in the study, with a mean age of 30.57±6.87 years. Nearly two-thirds (60.3%) of HCWs were hesitant to use the COVID-19 vaccine. Participants under the age of 30 years were approximately five times more likely to be hesitant to be vaccinated compared to those over the age of 40 years. HCWs other than medical doctors and/or nurses (AOR = 2.1; 95%CI; 1.1, 3.8) were more likely to be hesitant for COVID-19 vaccine. Lack of believe in COVID-19 vaccine benefits (AOR = 2.5; 95%CI; 1.3, 4.6), lack of trust in the government (AOR = 1.9; 95%CI; 1.3, 3.1), lack of trust science to produce safe and effective vaccines (AOR = 2.6; 95%CI; 1.6, 4.2); and concern about vaccine safety (AOR = 3.2; 95%CI; 1.9, 5.4) were also found to be predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy showed to be high among HCWs. All concerned bodies including the ministry, regional health authorities, health institutions, and HCWs themselves should work together to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake and overcome the pandemic.

Download Full-text

Political Ideologies, Government Trust, and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in South Korea: A Cross-Sectional Survey

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182010655 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (20) ◽

pp. 10655

Author(s):

Hyun Kyung Park ◽

Ji Hye Ham ◽

Deok Hyun Jang ◽

Jin Yong Lee ◽

Won Mo Jang

Keyword(s):

South Korea ◽

Risk Perceptions ◽

Herd Immunity ◽

Vaccine Safety ◽

Vaccine Uptake ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Political Ideologies ◽

The Government

This study aimed to assess the correlation between political ideologies, government trust, and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among South Korea’s general population and 1000 respondents (aged 18 years and older) were included. We used multivariate logistic regression models to identify the factors associated with vaccine hesitancy. Respondents who self-identified as liberal or held “no political opinion” had higher rates of vaccine hesitancy than conservative respondents. People’s trust in the government’s countermeasures was associated with vaccination. Respondents who had risk perceptions (affective and cognitive) of COVID-19 had lower rates of vaccine hesitancy. Perceptions that the vaccine was not safe and being aged 18–29, 30–39, or 40–49 were associated with a higher probability of vaccine hesitancy. This study found that even if vaccine safety and risk perceptions toward COVID-19 were adjusted, self-rated political ideologies and government trust was associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. More effort to communicate with those who are conservative, younger, and have lower level of trust in the government are required to dissolve vaccine hesitancy. Further studies should analyze the mechanism of COVID-19 vaccine uptake for effective herd immunity.

Download Full-text

Global Prevalence and Drivers of Dental Students’ COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

Vaccines ◽

10.3390/vaccines9060566 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 566

Author(s):

Abanoub Riad ◽

Huthaifa Abdulqader ◽

Mariana Morgado ◽

Silvi Domnori ◽

Michal Koščík ◽

...

Keyword(s):

International Association ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Dental Students ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Middle Income ◽

Related Attitude ◽

The Media ◽

Acceptance Levels

Background: Acceleration of mass vaccination strategies is the only pathway to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare professionals and students have a key role in shaping public opinion about vaccines. This study aimed to evaluate the attitudes of dental students globally towards COVID-19 vaccines and explore the potential drivers for students’ acceptance levels. Methods: A global cross-sectional study was carried out in February 2021 using an online questionnaire. The study was liaised by the scientific committee of the International Association of Dental Students (IADS), and data were collected through the national and local coordinators of IADS member organizations. The dependent variable was the willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine, and the independent variables included demographic characteristics, COVID-19-related experience, and the drivers of COVID-19 vaccine-related attitude suggested by the WHO SAGE. Results: A total of 6639 students from 22 countries, representing all world regions, responded to the questionnaire properly. Their mean age was 22.1 ± 2.8 (17–40) years, and the majority were females (70.5%), in clinical years (66.8%), and from upper-middle-income economies (45.7%). In general, 22.5% of dental students worldwide were hesitant, and 13.9% rejected COVID-19 vaccines. The students in low- and lower-middle-income (LLMI) economies had significantly higher levels of vaccine hesitancy compared to their peers in upper-middle- and high-income (UMHI) economies (30.4% vs. 19.8%; p < 0.01). Conclusions: The global acceptance level of dental students for COVID-19 vaccines was suboptimal, and their worrisome level of vaccine hesitancy was influenced by the socioeconomic context where the dental students live and study. The media and social media, public figures, insufficient knowledge about vaccines, and mistrust of governments and the pharmaceutical industry were barriers to vaccination. The findings of this study call for further implementation of epidemiology (infectious diseases) education within undergraduate dental curricula.

Download Full-text