scholarly journals COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptability and Hesitancy in Africa: Implications for Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (10) ◽  
pp. 999-1004
Author(s):  
Steward Mudenda
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Swine Flu ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Vaccine Acceptability ◽  
H1n1 Vaccine ◽  
Flu Vaccine ◽  
Pandemic Vaccine ◽  
To Receive

Background: Increased acceptance and uptake of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines is very essential in containing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine hesitancy is a threat to public health containment of infectious diseases. Aim: The main aim of this study was to review published articles regarding COVID-19 vaccine acceptability and hesitancy across all populations in Africa. Materials and methods: This was a narrative review. A comprehensive literature search was done using PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and EMBASE using the keywords vaccine acceptability, vaccine hesitancy, COVID-19 vaccine, COVID-19 pandemic, H1N1 vaccine, swine flu, swine flu vaccine, Africa, and the Boolean word AND. The cited literature was published between March 2001 and June 2021. Results: The few studies were done in Africa so far are among healthcare workers and medical students. Acceptance of vaccination against COVID-19 in Africa ranged from 15.4% to 55.9%. This shows increased hesitancy to receive the COVID-19 vaccines in African countries. Many people were concerned about the potential adverse effects and ineffectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. Misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines has contributed to the hesitancy reported from different studies. Moreover, sociodemographic characteristics were also predictors of the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines. Conclusion: Low acceptability rates reported in Africa indicates increased hesitancy to vaccination against COVID-19. The low acceptance of vaccines in Africa can hinder the required 60-70% vaccinations to achieve herd immunity. Therefore, there is a need to develop strategies that will address hesitancy against the COVID-19 vaccines across countries and populations in Africa and the entire globe.

scholarly journals Psychological predictors of vaccination intentions among U.S. undergraduates and online panel workers during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0260380
Author(s):  
Suryaa Gupta ◽  
Shoko Watanabe ◽  
Sean M. Laurent
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Collective Responsibility ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Online Panel ◽  
Conspiracy Beliefs ◽  
Flu Vaccine ◽  
To Receive

Objective Availability of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 is critical for controlling the pandemic, but herd immunity can only be achieved with high vaccination coverage. The present research examined psychological factors associated with intentions to receive COVID-19 vaccination and whether reluctance towards novel pandemic vaccines are similar to vaccine hesitancy captured by a hypothetical measure used in previous research. Method Study 1 was administered to undergraduate students when COVID-19 was spreading exponentially (February-April 2020). Study 2 was conducted with online panel workers toward the end of the first U.S. wave (July 2020) as a pre-registered replication and extension of Study 1. In both studies, participants (total N = 1,022) rated their willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccination and to vaccinate a hypothetical child for a fictitious disease, and then responded to various psychological measures. Results In both studies, vaccination intentions were positively associated with past flu vaccine uptake, self-reported vaccine knowledge, vaccine confidence, and sense of collective responsibility. Complacency (not perceiving disease as high-risk), anti-vaccine conspiracy beliefs, perceived vaccine danger, and mistrust in science/scientists were negative correlates of vaccination intentions. Constraints (psychological barriers), calculation (extensive information-searching), analytical thinking, perceived disease vulnerability, self-other overlap, and conservatism were weakly associated with vaccination intentions but not consistently across both studies or vaccine types. Additionally, similar factors were associated with both real and hypothetical vaccination intentions, suggesting that conclusions from pre-COVID vaccine hesitancy research mostly generalize to the current pandemic situation. Conclusion Encouraging flu vaccine uptake, enhancing confidence in a novel vaccine, and fostering a sense of collective responsibility are particularly important as they uniquely predict COVID-19 vaccination intentions. By including both actual pandemic-related hesitancy measures and hypothetical hesitancy measures from past research in the same study, this work provides key context for the generalizability of earlier non-pandemic research.

scholarly journals Adenovirus and RNA-based COVID-19 vaccines’ perceptions and acceptance among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia: a national survey

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e048586
Author(s):  
Mohamad-Hani Temsah ◽  
Mazin Barry ◽  
Fadi Aljamaan ◽  
Abdullah Alhuzaimi ◽  
Ayman Al-Eyadhy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Vectored Vaccine ◽  
To Receive

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to compare the perception, confidence, hesitancy and acceptance rate of various COVID-19 vaccine types among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Saudi Arabia, a nation with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus experience.DesignNational cross-sectional, pilot-validated questionnaire.SettingOnline, self-administered questionnaire among HCWs.ParticipantsA total of 2007 HCWs working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia participated; 1512 (75.3%) participants completed the survey and were included in the analysis.InterventionData were collected through an online survey sent to HCWs during 1–15 November 2020. The main outcome measure was HCW acceptance of COVID-19 candidate vaccines. The associated factors of vaccination acceptance were identified through a logistic regression analysis and via measurement of the level of anxiety, using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7 scale.ResultsAmong the 1512 HCWs who were included, 62.4% were women, 70.3% were between 21 and 40 years of age, and the majority (62.2%) were from tertiary hospitals. In addition, 59.5% reported knowing about at least one vaccine; 24.4% of the participants were sure about their willingness to receive the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine, and 20.9% were willing to receive the RNA BNT162b2 vaccine. However, 18.3% reported that they would refuse to receive the Ad5-vectored vaccine, and 17.9% would refuse the Gam-COVID-Vac vaccine. Factors that influenced the differential readiness of HCWs included their perceptions of the vaccine’s efficiency in preventing the infection (33%), their personal preferences (29%) and the vaccine’s manufacturing country (28.6%).ConclusionsAwareness by HCWs of the several COVID-19 candidate vaccines could improve their perceptions and acceptance of vaccination. Reliable sources on vaccine efficiency could improve vaccine uptake, so healthcare authorities should use reliable information to decrease vaccine hesitancy among frontline healthcare providers.

scholarly journals Corowa-kun: Impact of a COVID-19 vaccine information chatbot on vaccine hesitancy, Japan 2021

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takaaki Kobayashi ◽  
Yuka Nishina ◽  
Hana Tomoi ◽  
Ko Harada ◽  
Kyuto Tanaka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Confidential Interval ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
History Of ◽  
Flu Vaccine ◽  
Vaccine Information ◽  
To Receive

Background: Few studies have assessed how mobile messenger apps affect COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. We created a COVID-19 vaccine information chatbot in a popular messenger app in Japan to answer commonly asked questions. Methods: LINE is the most popular messenger app in Japan. Corowa-kun, a free chatbot, was created in LINE on February 6, 2021. Corowa-kun provides instant, automated answers to frequently asked COVID-19 vaccine questions. In addition, a cross-sectional survey assessing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was conducted via Corowa-kun during April 5 to 12, 2021. Results: A total of 59,676 persons used Corowa-kun during February to April 2021. Of them, 10,192 users (17%) participated in the survey. Median age was 55 years (range 16 to 97), and most were female (74%). Intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine increased from 59% to 80% after using Corowa-kun (p < 0.01). Overall, 20% remained hesitant: 16% (1,675) were unsure, and 4% (364) did not intend to be vaccinated. Factors associated with vaccine hesitancy were: age 16 to 34 (odds ratio [OR] = 3.7, 95% confidential interval [CI]: 3.0-4.6, compared to age ≥ 65), female sex (OR = 2.4, Cl: 2.1-2.8), and history of another vaccine side-effect (OR = 2.5, Cl: 2.2-2.9). Being a physician (OR = 0.2, Cl: 0.1-0.4) and having received a flu vaccine the prior season (OR = 0.4, Cl: 0.3-0.4) were protective. Conclusions: Corowa-kun reduced vaccine hesitancy by providing COVID-19 vaccine information in a messenger app. Mobile messenger apps could be leveraged to increase COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.

scholarly journals Healthcare worker intentions to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and reasons for hesitancy: A survey of 16,158 health system employees on the eve of vaccine distribution

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle N. Meyer ◽  
Tamara Gjorgjieva ◽  
Daniel Rosica
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Population Immunity ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Acceptance Rates ◽  
Vaccine Distribution ◽  
To Receive

AbstractHealthcare workers (HCWs) have been recommended to receive first priority for limited COVID-19 vaccines. They have also been identified as potential ambassadors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, helping to ensure that sufficient members of a hesitant public accept COVID-19 vaccines to achieve population immunity. Yet HCWs themselves have shown vaccine hesitancy in other contexts and the few prior surveys of U.S. HCW intentions to receive a COVID-19 vaccine report acceptance rates of only 28% to 34%. However, it is unknown whether HCW acceptance remains low following mid-November announcements of the efficacy of the first COVID-19 vaccines and the issuance of two emergency use authorizations (EUA) in December. We report the results of a December 2020 survey (N = 16,158; response rate 61%) administered by a large Pennsylvania health system to determine the intentions of its employees to receive a vaccine when it is offered to them. In a mixed sample of individuals serving in patient-facing and other roles, 55% would decide to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when offered, 16.4% would not, and 28.5% reported being undecided. The distribution of responses varied little across hospital campuses, between those in patient-facing roles and other HCWs, or by area or department of work. The higher rate of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance we observe may reflect the framing and timing of our survey. Among hesitant respondents, an overwhelming majority (90.3%) reported concerns about unknown risks and insufficient data. Other commonly reported concerns included known side effects (57.4%) and wanting to wait until they see how it goes with others (44.4%). We observed a substantial increase in self-reported intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine after an FDA advisory committee voted to recommend an EUA. Among respondents who completed the survey after that point in time, 79% intend to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (n = 1155). Although only suggestive, this trend offers hope that rates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance may be higher among HCWs and, perhaps, the general public than more hypothetical survey results have indicated.

scholarly journals Healthcare worker intentions to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and reasons for hesitancy: A survey of 16,158 health system employees on the eve of vaccine distribution

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle N. Meyer ◽  
Tamara Gjorgjieva ◽  
Daniel Rosica
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Population Immunity ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Acceptance Rates ◽  
Vaccine Distribution ◽  
To Receive

Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been recommended to receive first priority for limited COVID-19 vaccines. They have also been identified as potential ambassadors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, helping to ensure that sufficient members of a hesitant public accept COVID-19 vaccines to achieve population immunity. Yet HCWs themselves have shown vaccine hesitancy in other contexts and the few prior surveys of U.S. HCW intentions to receive a COVID-19 vaccine report acceptance rates of only 28% to 34%. However, it is unknown whether HCW acceptance remains low following mid-November announcements of the efficacy of the first COVID-19 vaccines and the issuance of two emergency use authorizations (EUA) in December. We report the results of a December 2020 survey (N = 16,158; response rate 61%) administered by a large Pennsylvania health system to determine the intentions of its employees to receive a vaccine when it is offered to them. In a mixed sample of individuals serving in patient-facing and other roles, 55% would decide to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when offered, 16.4% would not, and 28.5% reported being undecided. The distribution of responses varied little across hospital campuses, between those in patient-facing roles and other HCWs, or by area or department of work. The higher rate of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance we observe may reflect the framing and timing of our survey. Among hesitant respondents, an overwhelming majority (90.3%) reported concerns about unknown risks and insufficient data. Other commonly reported concerns included known side effects (57.4%) and wanting to wait until they see how it goes with others (44.4%). We observed a substantial increase in self-reported intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine after an FDA advisory committee voted to recommend an EUA. Among respondents who completed the survey after that point in time, 79% intend to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (n = 1155). Although only suggestive, this trend offers hope that rates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance may be higher among HCWs and, perhaps, the general public than more hypothetical survey results have indicated.

scholarly journals Prevention of COVID-19 by mRNA-based vaccines within the general population of California

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin L Andrejko ◽  
Jake Pry ◽  
Jennifer F Myers ◽  
Nicholas P Jewell ◽  
John Openshaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Asymptomatic Infection ◽  
Geographic Region ◽  
Vaccine Effectiveness ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Molecular Diagnostic ◽  
California Department ◽  
Molecular Diagnostic Test ◽  
To Receive

Abstract Background Estimates of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness under real-world conditions, and understanding of barriers to uptake, are necessary to inform vaccine rollout. Methods We enrolled cases (testing positive) and controls (testing negative) from among the population whose SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnostic test results from 24 February-29 April 2021 were reported to the California Department of Public Health. Participants were matched on age, sex, and geographic region. We assessed participants’ self-reported history of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine receipt (BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273). Participants were considered fully vaccinated two weeks after second dose receipt. Among unvaccinated participants, we assessed willingness to receive vaccination. We measured vaccine effectiveness (VE) via the matched odds ratio of prior vaccination, comparing cases with controls. Results We enrolled 1023 eligible participants aged ≥18 years. Among 525 cases, 71 (13.5%) received BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273; 20 (3.8%) were fully vaccinated with either product. Among 498 controls, 185 (37.1%) received BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273; 86 (16.3%) were fully vaccinated with either product. Two weeks after second dose receipt, VE was 87.0% (95% confidence interval: 68.6-94.6%) and 86.2% (68.4-93.9%) for BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273, respectively. Fully vaccinated participants receiving either product experienced 91.3% (79.3-96.3%) and 68.3% (27.9-85.7%) VE against symptomatic and asymptomatic infection, respectively. Among unvaccinated participants, 42.4% (159/375) residing in rural regions and 23.8% (67/281) residing in urban regions reported hesitancy to receive COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusions Authorized mRNA-based vaccines are effective at reducing documented SARS-CoV-2 infections within the general population of California. Vaccine hesitancy presents a barrier to reaching coverage levels needed for herd immunity.

scholarly journals Determining the Relationship between Bangkokian’s Willingness to Receive COVID-19 Vaccination and their Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) towards the Contagion

2021 ◽  
Vol 04 (08) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pendhamma Sindhusen ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Attitude And Practice ◽  
Public Campaign ◽  
Initial Hypothesis ◽  
Knowledge And Attitude ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Knowledge Attitude And Practice

In the age of COVID-19 where a lethal contagion is ubiquitous across the globe, vaccination is of supreme significance. Vaccines provide immunity to individuals, rendering them less susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection or their symptoms less severe should they ultimately become infected. Vaccinating an adequate proportion of the population can majorly contribute to the achievement of herd immunity, consequently depressing the spread of the Coronavirus and ushering humanity towards eventual subjugation of the ongoing pandemic. Unfortunately, there are obstacles preventing such a roseate prospect from realization, one of which is vaccine hesitancy. Interestingly, past research in various regions around the world has associated this factor, partially, with the public’s knowledge and attitude concerning COVID-19, which could be measured by the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) towards COVID-19 scale. Such an association plausibly intimates that a public campaign shedding light on accurate information about the contagion might be of help in augmenting people’s willingness to receive vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Because circumstances inevitably varied from place to place, population to population, this study was undertaken to explore whether any similar association existed in Bangkok, Thailand, where the pandemic has been growing progressively worse, with the initial hypothesis that it did. However, results revealed that while there was indeed a statistically significant correlation between Bangkokians’ willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccines and their KAP towards the contagion, the correlation was weak (r = 0.30). This evinces the need for a more thorough and farther-reaching study and, until such a study has been meaningfully concluded, the appropriacy of apposite agencies concentrating elsewhere in their efforts to vanquish vaccine hesitancy and accomplish herd immunity against COVID-19.

Likelihood of COVID-19 Vaccination Among Individuals Living With Psoriatic Disease: Results From a Large Real-World Survey

2021 ◽  
pp. 247553032110678
Author(s):  
George C. Gondo ◽  
Megan H. Noe ◽  
Stacie J. Bell ◽  
Christopher T. Ritchlin
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Annual Household Income ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Psoriatic Disease ◽  
Flu Vaccine ◽  
To Receive

Introduction: Development and dissemination of novel COVID-19 vaccines represent an opportunity to end the COVID-19 pandemic by vaccinating an estimated 80% of the population. Objectives: This study examines perceptions, and demographic and clinical factors influencing the likelihood of adults with psoriasis receiving a novel COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: A cross sectional study conducted from October–November 2020 of 1405 adults with psoriatic disease with prior contact to a patient advocacy organization. The main outcome of interest was the likelihood of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Chi-square tests and logistic regression examined the relationship between individual characteristics and likelihood of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Results: Most participants (65%) received a flu vaccination in the last 12 months and were (64.2%) likely to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, while 35.9% reported being unlikely receive a vaccine. Likelihood of COVID-19 vaccination was associated with receiving the flu vaccine, race, ethnicity, sex, BMI, age, income, severity of PsO and PsA. When controlling for ethnicity, race, male sex, overweight/obese status, age, biologic use, disease type, comorbidities linked with worse COVID-19 outcomes, PsA symptoms, and skin disease severity, individuals who received the flu vaccine and those with annual household income over $75,000 were most likely to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusions: Vaccine hesitancy among individuals with psoriatic disease is considerable. Dermatologists and rheumatologists can increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake by actively engaging their patients on this topic using guidance published by the National Psoriasis Foundation on the management of psoriatic disease during the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Estimating vaccine confidence levels among future healthcare workers and their trainers: A quantitative study protocol

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth O. Oduwole ◽  
Hassan Mahomed ◽  
Birhanu T. Ayele ◽  
Charles S. Wiysonge
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
P Value ◽  
List Type ◽  
Confidence Levels ◽  
Vaccine Confidence ◽  
To Receive

ABSTRACTIntroductionThe outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caught the world off guard in the first quarter of the year 2020. To stem the tide of this pandemic, the development, testing, and pre-licensure approval for emergency use of some COVID 19 vaccine candidates were accelerated. This led to raised public concern about their safety and efficacy, compounding the challenges of vaccine hesitancy which was already declared one of the top ten threats to global health in the year 2019. The onus of managing and administering these vaccines to a skeptical populace when they do become available rests mostly on the shoulders of healthcare workers (HCWs). Therefore, the vaccine confidence levels of HCWs becomes critical to the success of vaccination endeavors, especially COVID 19 vaccination. This proposed study aims to estimate the level of vaccine confidence and the intention to receive a COVID 19 vaccine among future HCWs and their trainers at a specific university in Cape Town, South Africa, and to identify any vaccination concerns early for targeted intervention.Methods and analysisAn online survey will be distributed to current staff and students of an academic institution for HCWs. The survey questionnaire will consist of a demographic questions section consisting of six items and a vaccine confidence section comprising six items in Likert scale format.A multinomial logistic regression model will be employed to identify factors associated with vaccine confidence and intention. The strength of association will be assessed using odds ratio and its 95% confidence interval. Statistical significance will be defined at a p-value <0.05.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval has been obtained for the study from Stellenbosch University (HREC Reference # S19/01/014 (PhD)). The results will be shared with relevant health authorities, presented at conferences, and published in a peer-reviewed journal.ARTICLE SUMMARYStrengths and limitations of this study▸The proposed study will generate baseline knowledge of the vaccine confidence among future healthcare workers and their trainers in its specific context.▸It will contribute to addressing the knowledge gap about the intention to receive a COVID 19 vaccine among health care workers in Africa.▸It will enable the early identification of vaccine concerns of healthcare workers while they are still in training and assist in informing tailored measures to address them.▸A limitation of the study is the possibility of a low response rate which is an inherent challenge of online surveys.

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