RESUMO
Introduction: vaccination is one of the strategies the World Health Organization recommends to reduce the burden of COVID-19. However, many African countries like Cameroon have low COVID-19 vaccination coverage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons for the refusal of the population of the city of Douala to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional and analytical study in Douala from February 10 to May 31, 2022. Participants, aged at least 21 years and residing in the city of Douala, were interviewed. Associations between the variables of interest were measured using Chi-square and Fisher tests, with a 95% confidence interval. Results: a total of 1555 people were included in the study. Only 168 (11%) had been vaccinated. The proportion of vaccine refusal was high, with 711 (45.7%) refusing, 640 participants (41.1%) hesitating, and 204 people (13.2%) being in favor of COVID-19 vaccination. The main reasons for refusing anti-COVID-19 vaccination were fear of adverse effects (406; 44.8%), lack of information about vaccines (331; 36.5%), and lack of confidence (302; 33.3%). Factors associated with vaccine refusal were religion (p=0.026) and level of education (p=0.002). Conclusion: this study revealed low COVID-19 vaccination coverage in Douala, with a significant proportion of refusal and hesitation towards vaccination. Communication strategies should take into account the reasons and factors associated with refusal.
Assuntos
Vacinas contra COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Hesitação Vacinal , Recusa de Vacinação , Vacinação , Humanos , Camarões , Estudos Transversais , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Feminino , Masculino , Adulto , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Adulto Jovem , Vacinação/estatística & dados numéricos , Recusa de Vacinação/estatística & dados numéricos , Recusa de Vacinação/psicologia , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Idoso , Cobertura Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , MedoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the reasons adults in the general population, influenza risk groups (RGs) and health care workers (HCWs) in Norway give for their vaccination choices and whether these reasons vary between groups or over time in order to further improve influenza vaccination coverage. METHODS: Respondents of a nationally representative telephone survey conducted by Statistics Norway were asked "What was the most important reason why you did/did not get vaccinated?". The question on influenza non-vaccination was included in 2016 and in 2020 to 2023 and the question on influenza vaccination in 2021 to 2023. RESULTS: The study included 9 705 individuals aged 18-79 years. Influenza vaccination coverage in the RGs increased from 20.6% in 2016 to 63.1% in 2022, before a reduction to 58.3% in 2023. Common reasons for non-vaccination were similar in all groups. The most cited reasons were "no need" for the vaccine and "no specific reason", followed by "not recommended/offered the vaccine", "worry about side effects" and "vaccine refusal". The most frequent reasons for vaccination among the general population and RGs were protection against influenza and belonging to a RG, while the most frequent responses among HCWs were being offered the vaccine at work/work in health care, followed by a desire for protection against influenza. Receiving a vaccine recommendation from a health professional was mentioned in all groups. We also observed that the proportion reporting "no need" for the vaccine decreased over time, especially among HCWs, and that the proportions reporting vaccine refusal and worry about side effects as reasons for non-vaccination were temporarily reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The general population and RGs cite protection against influenza as their primary incentive for vaccination, while HCWs mainly refer to their professional role or workplace vaccination. For non-vaccination we see a similar pattern in all groups, with "no need" and "no specific reason" as the main reasons. Of note, worry about side effects and vaccine refusal is as frequent among HCWs as in other groups. Continued efforts to maintain and increase vaccine confidence are needed.
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Vacinas contra Influenza , Influenza Humana , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Adulto , Noruega , Vacinas contra Influenza/administração & dosagem , Masculino , Adolescente , Feminino , Influenza Humana/prevenção & controle , Idoso , Adulto Jovem , Inquéritos e Questionários , Vacinação/estatística & dados numéricos , Vacinação/psicologia , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Pessoal de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Pessoal de Saúde/psicologia , Estações do AnoRESUMO
Misinformation related to vaccines has been shown to potentially negatively impact public perceptions and intentions to vaccinate in many contexts including COVID-19 vaccination in Ghana. Psychological inoculation - where recipients are warned about the misleading techniques used in misinformation - is a potential intervention which could preemptively boost public resistance against misinformation. Cranky Uncle Vaccine is an interactive, digital game that applies inoculation, offering a scalable tool building public resilience against vaccine misinformation and promoting positive health-related behaviors. In this study, we document the process of developing and testing a West African version of Cranky Uncle Vaccine, with co-design workshops and a pilot test conducted in urban and peri-urban areas of the Greater Accra region of Ghana with 829 young people who had access to mobile and computer devices. The average age was 21.8 and participants were highly educated (median education level "Some/all university") with slightly more females (51.2%) than males (48.4%). Pilot participants filled out surveys before and after playing the game, measuring vaccine attitudes (pre-game M = 3.4, post-game M = 3.6), intent to get vaccinated (pre-game M = 3.5, post-game M = 3.6), and discernment between vaccine facts and fallacies (pre-game AUC = 0.72, post-game AUC = 0.75). We observed a significant improvement in attitudes toward vaccines, with players demonstrating increased likelihood to get vaccinated after completing the game. Among players who indicated that they were unlikely to get vaccinated in the pre-game survey (N = 52, or 6.3% of participants), just over half of these participants (53%) switched to likely to get vaccinated after playing the game. Perceived reliability of vaccine facts remained the same, while perceived reliability of vaccine fallacies significantly decreased, indicating improved ability to spot misleading arguments about vaccines. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of a digital game in building public resilience against vaccine misinformation as well as improving vaccine attitudes and intent to get vaccinated.
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Vacinas contra COVID-19 , Comunicação , Humanos , Gana , Masculino , Feminino , Adulto Jovem , Projetos Piloto , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Adolescente , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Jogos de Vídeo , Vacinação/psicologia , Adulto , Inquéritos e Questionários , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: South Africa faced challenges while implementing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) measures such as mass vaccination. Some people rejected or were hesitant to receive government-recommended vaccines. This study explored COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among unvaccinated individuals in a primary care setting in Pretoria, South Africa. METHODS: This was an exploratory phenomenological study that included one-on-one interviews with 12 individuals at Temba Community Health Centre in Pretoria, South Africa. RESULTS: The research revealed five themes: perceptions of COVID-19 disease, perceptions of COVID-19 vaccine, factors related to non-vaccination, information sources about the COVID-19 vaccine, and long-term vaccination decisions. There were seven linked sub-themes. CONCLUSION: Overall, participants had a good understanding of COVID-19 disease, but limited knowledge about the vaccine, causing hesitancy to get vaccinated. Reasons for not getting vaccinated included health-related concerns, safety concerns, personal experiences, and social and political factors. Safety and health-related concerns were prevalent, with adverse vaccine outcomes being the most common concern. Most participants had experienced a historic encounter with a vaccine-related death or illness.Contribution: Vaccine hesitancy should be viewed as a powerful concern from the community, and a key source of worry for the health authorities over any vaccine-related doubt.
Assuntos
Vacinas contra COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Atenção Primária à Saúde , Hesitação Vacinal , Humanos , África do Sul/epidemiologia , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Masculino , Feminino , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Adulto , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , SARS-CoV-2 , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Aceitação pelo Paciente de Cuidados de Saúde/psicologia , Vacinação/psicologia , Entrevistas como AssuntoRESUMO
PURPOSE: This research aimed to explore hesitation towards the COVID-19 booster vaccine among dialysis patients and study the association between COVID-19 pandemic-induced health behavior and vaccination hesitancy. METHODS: A self-administered online questionnaire evaluating dialysis patients' hesitation to take COVID-19 booster vaccination was conducted between March 24 and 22 April 2022 in Taizhou, China. The logistic regression method was applied to identify factors associated with vaccination hesitancy, and all data were analyzed using R software. RESULTS: Of the 365 study participants, 272 (74.5%) individuals hesitated to take the booster dose. Health behavior was found to be a significant factor for hesitation to take COVID-19 vaccines, with OR (95% CI) of 1.09 (1.02-1.17). Influenza vaccination history was also significantly associated with the hesitation (OR (95% CI) = 0.39 (0.21-0.74)). In addition, participants with higher education levels exhibited lower vaccine hesitancy compared to those with junior secondary or below, with ORs (95% CIs) of 0.49 (0.27-0.91) for senior secondary and 0.35 (0.14-0.89) for junior college or above, respectively. CONCLUSION: The proportion of hesitancy for taking the booster vaccination of the COVID-19 vaccine was high among dialysis patients. Health behaviors, influenza vaccination history, and education levels were risk factors in their vaccination hesitancy. These findings may aid efforts to help vaccinate people with underlying diseases against future pandemics.
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Vacinas contra COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Imunização Secundária , Diálise Renal , SARS-CoV-2 , Hesitação Vacinal , Humanos , Masculino , China/epidemiologia , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Imunização Secundária/estatística & dados numéricos , Diálise Renal/estatística & dados numéricos , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Idoso , Inquéritos e Questionários , SARS-CoV-2/imunologia , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Adulto , Vacinação/estatística & dados numéricos , Vacinação/psicologia , Comportamentos Relacionados com a SaúdeRESUMO
Vaccines, like the Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, can control diseases, but vaccine hesitancy reduces their use. It is important to assess the intention to use COVID-19 vaccines boosters and the determinants of this intention to help in developing programs to promote the uptake of boosters. An online survey collected data from adults in Egypt between March and June 2022 using a questionnaire that assessed demographic characteristics, and constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Health Belief Model (HBM). The survey was uploaded to SurveyMonkey and the links were posted on social media platforms. Binary regression analysis was used and the dependent variable was intention to use boosters of COVID-19 vaccines. The independent variables were indicators of the HBM including perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 infection (medical history) and possibility of disease prevention (awareness of the availability of types of COVID-19 vaccines); and indicators of the TPB including attitude toward COVID-19 vaccines (that they are harmful, that they may lead to death and confidence in locally and foreign manufactured vaccines), perceived norms (the percentage of vaccinated persons in one's circle) and perceived control over booster uptake (presence of government mandates for COVID-19 vaccination). The confounders were sociodemographic factors (age, sex, education, and place of residence). Complete responses were available from 1113 out of 1401 participants (79.4%), with mean (SD) age = 25 (9.5) years, of whom, 66.7% (n = 742) were females and 68.6% (n = 764) were university students. About 39.4% and 31.2% indicated that they would get or would definitely get the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccines. In multiple regression, intention to use a booster dose was significantly related to not agreeing (AOR = 4.87, P < 0.001) or not agreeing at all (AOR = 8.46, P = 0.001) that vaccines are harmful and to having no confidence (AOR = 0.21, P < 0.001) or no confidence at all (AOR = 0.14, P < 0.001) in foreign-manufactured vaccines. Most university-educated Egyptians in the study intended to take the COVID-19 vaccine booster dose and this intention was associated with attitude toward the harm of the vaccine and confidence in foreign-manufactured vaccines. Awareness campaigns are needed to counteract misinformation and promote booster dose uptake.
Assuntos
Vacinas contra COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Intenção , Humanos , Egito/epidemiologia , Feminino , Masculino , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Vacinas contra COVID-19/imunologia , Adulto , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Inquéritos e Questionários , Adulto Jovem , Imunização Secundária , Vacinação/psicologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , SARS-CoV-2/imunologia , Modelo de Crenças de Saúde , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , Adolescente , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em SaúdeRESUMO
Introducción. En la adolescencia, se comienzan a tomar decisiones autónomas sobre la salud. En la vacunación intervienen dimensiones contextuales, grupales y relativas a cada vacuna. Se busca conocer el proceso de información, confianza y decisión de vacunarse contra COVID-19 en adolescentes usuarios de un centro de salud en Buenos Aires. Objetivos. Identificar ámbitos y canales a través de los cuales los adolescentes accedieron a información sobre la vacuna contra COVID-19 en un centro de salud de Buenos Aires. Describir sus opiniones respecto a los distintos discursos sobre vacunación. Describir su participación en la vacunación contra COVID-19. Identificar barreras y facilitadores respecto del acceso a la vacunación contra COVID-19 en esta población. Población y métodos. Investigación cualitativa. Se hicieron entrevistas semiestructuradas a adolescentes usuarios del efector. La muestra fue heterogénea; su tamaño se definió por saturación teórica. Se realizó un análisis temático de los datos. Resultados. Se realizaron 14 entrevistas. Los entrevistados recibieron información sobre la vacuna contra COVID-19 de sus familias, la televisión y las redes sociales. Todos recibieron tanto publicidad oficial como discursos reticentes a la vacunación. Analizaron la información recibida y formaron opinión autónoma. Su decisión sobre vacunarse no siempre fue respetada. La desconfianza, la baja percepción del riesgo, el temor a las inyecciones, las barreras administrativas y geográficas fueron motivos de no vacunación. Conclusiones. Se requieren estrategias de comunicación destinadas a adolescentes que promuevan su participación en el acceso a la vacunación.
Introduction. During adolescence, individuals start to make autonomous decisions about their health. Vaccination involves contextual, group, and vaccine-specific dimensions. We sought to know the information, trust, and decision to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among adolescents who attended a healthcare center in Buenos Aires. Objectives. To identify settings and channels through which adolescents accessed information about the COVID-19 vaccine at a healthcare center in Buenos Aires. To describe their opinions about the different statements on vaccination. To describe their participation in COVID-19 vaccination. To identify barriers and facilitators to COVID-19 vaccination in this population. Population and methods. Qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews with adolescents who attended this healthcare facility. The sample was heterogeneous; the sample size was estimated by theoretical saturation. A thematic analysis of data was done. Results. A total of 14 interviews were conducted. Interviewees obtained information about the COVID-19 vaccine from their families, TV, and social media. All received information from both official campaigns and anti-vaccine communications. They analyzed the information they received and formed their own opinion. Their decision about the vaccine was not always respected. Hesitancy, a low perception of risk, fear of needles, administrative and geographic barriers were reasons for not receiving the vaccine. Conclusions. Communication strategies targeted at adolescents are required that encourage their involvement in access to vaccination.
Assuntos
Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Adolescente , Confiança , Pesquisa Qualitativa , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Argentina , Aceitação pelo Paciente de Cuidados de Saúde/psicologia , Aceitação pelo Paciente de Cuidados de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Entrevistas como Assunto , Vacinação/psicologia , Vacinação/estatística & dados numéricos , Tomada de Decisões , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , Instalações de Saúde , Acessibilidade aos Serviços de SaúdeRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Underlying causes of vaccine hesitancy could significantly affect successful uptake of the SARS-CoV2 vaccine booster doses during new waves of COVID-19. Booster rates among US adults are far below what is needed for immunity, but little is known about booster hesitancy among fully vaccinated adults and whether medical mistrust exacerbates barriers to uptake. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was completed among 119 adults in Philadelphia, PA who reported having received the primary SARS-CoV2 vaccine series but not a booster dose. Using the LaVeist Medical Mistrust (MM) Index, a k-means cluster analysis showed two clusters (Low MM, High MM) and differences in attitudes and perceptions about COVID-19 booster vaccines were assessed using F-tests. RESULTS: Respondents were 62% Black and female; mean age was 41; 46% reported earning less than $25,000 and 53% had a high school education or less. Overall intention to get boosted was low (mean 3.3 on 0-10 scale). Differences in COVID-19 booster perceptions between those with High (n = 56) vs. Low (n = 59) MM were found, independent of any demographic differences. Most statements (7/10) related to reasons to not be boosted were significant, with those with High MM indicating more concern about feeling sick from the vaccine (F=-3.91, p≤ .001), beliefs that boosters are ineffective for vaccinated people (F= -3.46, p≤ .001), and long-term side effect worries (F=-4.34, p≤ .001). Those with High MM were also more concerned about the adverse effects of the vaccine (F=-2.48, p=.02), but were more likely to trust getting information from doctors or healthcare providers (F= -2.25, p=.03). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that medical mistrust is an important independent construct when understanding current COVID-19 booster hesitancy. While much work has looked at demographic differences to explain vaccine hesitancy, these results suggest that further research into understanding and addressing medical mistrust could be important for implementing interventions to increase booster rates.
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Vacinas contra COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Imunização Secundária , Confiança , Hesitação Vacinal , Humanos , Feminino , Masculino , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Vacinas contra COVID-19/imunologia , Adulto , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Estudos Transversais , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Análise por Conglomerados , SARS-CoV-2/imunologia , Philadelphia , Estados Unidos , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosAssuntos
Vacinas contra COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Hesitação Vacinal , Humanos , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Brasil/epidemiologia , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , Criança , Pessoal de Saúde/psicologia , Atitude do Pessoal de SaúdeRESUMO
For years, but especially since the pandemic, this page and many others in Science and elsewhere have been filled with lamentations about the spread of scientific misinformation-and hand wringing on how to prevent it. High-speed sharing and the relentless activity of social media influencers have made this difficult problem even worse. Dangerous skepticism about the COVID-19 vaccine, for example, continues to stoke wider hesitancy to other vaccines, a disastrous consequence for public health. Solutions to blunt scientific misinformation have been elusive. Now a new study, reported in this issue of Science, suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) could provide a means to dispel misinformation and in a way that lasts.
Assuntos
Comunicação , Mídias Sociais , Humanos , Inteligência Artificial , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Vacinas contra COVID-19/imunologia , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologiaRESUMO
Routine childhood vaccination is a crucial component of public health in Canada and worldwide. To facilitate catch-up from the global decline in routine vaccination caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and toward the ongoing pursuit of coverage goals, vaccination programs must understand barriers to vaccine access imposed or exacerbated by the pandemic. We conducted a regionally representative online survey in January 2023 including 2036 Canadian parents with children under the age of 18. We used the COM-B model of behaviour to examine factors influencing vaccination timeliness during the pandemic. We assessed Capability with measures of vaccine understanding and decision difficulty, and Motivation with a measure of vaccine confidence. Opportunity was assessed through parents' self-reported experience with barriers to vaccination. Twenty-four percent of surveyed parents reported having missed or delayed one of their children's scheduled routine vaccinations since the beginning of the pandemic, though most parents reported having either caught up or the intention to catch up soon. In the absence of opportunity barriers, motivation was associated with timely vaccination for children aged 0-4 years (aOR = 1.81, 95 % CI: 1.14-2.84). However, experience with one or more opportunity barriers, particularly clinic closures and difficulties getting an appointment, eliminated this relationship, suggesting perennial and new pandemic-associated barriers are a critical challenge to vaccine coverage goals in Canada.
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COVID-19 , Pais , Vacinação , Humanos , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Canadá/epidemiologia , Pré-Escolar , Lactente , Masculino , Feminino , Criança , Vacinação/estatística & dados numéricos , Vacinação/psicologia , Adulto , Pais/psicologia , Adolescente , Inquéritos e Questionários , Motivação , SARS-CoV-2/imunologia , Recém-Nascido , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Pandemias/prevenção & controle , Programas de Imunização , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The demand for COVID-19 vaccines has diminished as the pandemic lingers. Understanding vaccine hesitancy among essential workers is important in reducing the impact of future pandemics by providing effective immunization programs delivered expeditiously. METHOD: Two surveys exploring COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in 2021 and 2022 were conducted in cohorts of health care providers (HCP) and education workers participating in prospective studies of COVID-19 illnesses and vaccine uptake. Demographic factors and opinions about vaccines (monovalent and bivalent) and public health measures were collected in these self-reported surveys. Modified multivariable Poisson regression was used to determine factors associated with hesitancy. RESULTS: In 2021, 3 % of 2061 HCP and 6 % of 3417 education workers reported hesitancy (p < 0.001). In December 2022, 21 % of 868 HCP and 24 % of 1457 education workers reported being hesitant to receive a bivalent vaccine (p = 0.09). Hesitance to be vaccinated with the monovalent vaccines was associated with earlier date of survey completion, later receipt of first COVID-19 vaccine dose, no influenza vaccination, and less worry about becoming ill with COVID-19. Factors associated with hesitance to be vaccinated with a bivalent vaccine that were common to both cohorts were receipt of two or fewer previous COVID-19 doses and lower certainty that the vaccines were safe and effective. CONCLUSION: Education workers were somewhat more likely than HCP to report being hesitant to receive COVID-19 vaccines but reasons for hesitancy were similar. Hesitancy was associated with non-receipt of previous vaccines (i.e., previous behaviour), less concern about being infected with SARS-CoV-2, and concerns about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines for both cohorts. Maintaining inter-pandemic trust in vaccines, ensuring rapid data generation during pandemics regarding vaccine safety and effectiveness, and effective and transparent communication about these data are all needed to support pandemic vaccination programs.
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Vacinas contra COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Pessoal de Saúde , SARS-CoV-2 , Hesitação Vacinal , Humanos , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Pessoal de Saúde/psicologia , Masculino , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Feminino , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Adulto , Canadá , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Inquéritos e Questionários , SARS-CoV-2/imunologia , Vacinação/psicologia , Vacinação/estatística & dados numéricos , Pessoal de Educação/psicologia , Estudos ProspectivosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are an important target group for influenza vaccination due to their increased risk of infection. However, their uptake remains a challenge. This study aimed to identify and measure influenza vaccine hesitancy among HCWs in Nakhon Phanom province, Thailand. METHODS: A representative cross-sectional survey was conducted during August-September 2020, among 350 HCWs at six hospitals in the province selected by a two-stage cluster sampling using a self-administered questionnaire. HCWs who either delayed getting influenza vaccines, accepted the vaccines but were unsure, or refused the vaccine with doubts were categorized as hesitant. HCWs who accepted the influenza vaccine without any doubts were classified as non-hesitant. Determinants of vaccine hesitancy were identified by a multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 338 participants (97%) filled the questionnaires. The mean age of the participants was 37.2 years. Most participants were female (280; 83%), nurses (136; 40%), working at district hospitals (238; 71%), with bachelor's degree (223; 66%), and without any pre-existing chronic medical conditions (264; 78%). Influenza vaccine hesitancy was evident among nearly 60% of the participants (197/338), who had varying patterns of hesitancy. Significant factors of influenza vaccine hesitancy were found to be age above 50 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.2, 95% CI 1.3-8.5), fair knowledge of influenza and vaccination (aOR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.8), and negative influence of other HCW (High level-aOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-4.8; Moderate level- aOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-4.4). CONCLUSION: Influenza vaccine hesitancy was highly prevalent among the Thai HCWs in Nakhon Phanom province. Imparting updated information to the HCW, in combination with positive guidance from influential HCWs in the hospital, may help reduce hesitancy. These data may be useful to the National Immunization Program to design appropriate approaches to target hesitant HCWs in Thailand to improve influenza vaccine coverage.
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Pessoal de Saúde , Vacinas contra Influenza , Influenza Humana , Hesitação Vacinal , Humanos , Feminino , Tailândia , Masculino , Adulto , Estudos Transversais , Vacinas contra Influenza/administração & dosagem , Pessoal de Saúde/psicologia , Influenza Humana/prevenção & controle , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Inquéritos e Questionários , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , Vacinação/psicologia , Vacinação/estatística & dados numéricos , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Across the globe, racial and ethnic minorities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 with increased risk of infection and burden from disease. Vaccine hesitancy has contributed to variation in vaccine uptake and compromised population-based vaccination programs in many countries. Connect, Collaborate and Tailor (CCT) is a Public Health Agency of Canada funded project to make new connections between public health, healthcare professionals and underserved communities in order to create culturally adapted communication about COVID-19 vaccines. This paper describes the CCT process and outcomes as a community engagement model that identified information gaps and created tailored tools to address misinformation and improve vaccine acceptance. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with CCT participants were undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of CCT in identifying and addressing topics of concern to underserved and ethnic minority communities. Interviews also explored CCT participants' experiences of collaboration through the development of new partnerships between ethnic minority communities, public health and academic researchers, and the evolution of co-operation sharing ideas and creating infographics. Thematic analysis was used to produce representative themes. The activities described were aligned with the levels of public engagement described in the IAP2 spectrum (International Association for Public Participation). RESULTS: Analysis of interviews (n = 14) revealed that shared purpose and urgency in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic motivated co-operation among CCT participants. Acknowledgement of past harm, present health, and impact of social inequities on public service access was an essential first step in establishing trust. Creating safe spaces for open dialogue led to successful, iterative cycles of consultation and feedback between participants; a process that not only helped create tailored infographics but also deepened engagement and collaboration. Over time, the infographic material development was increasingly directed by community representatives' commentary on their groups' real-time needs and communication preferences. This feedback noticeably guided the choice, style, and presentation of infographic content while also directing dissemination strategies and vaccine confidence building activities. CONCLUSIONS: The CCT process to create COVID-19 vaccine communication materials led to evolving co-operation between groups who had not routinely worked together before; strong community engagement was a key driver of change. Ensuring a respectful environment for open dialogue and visibly using feedback to create information products provided a foundation for building relationships. Finally, our data indicate participants sought reinforcement of close cooperative ties and continued investment in shared responsibility for community partnership-based public health.
Assuntos
Vacinas contra COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Humanos , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Canadá , Participação da Comunidade , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Minorias Étnicas e Raciais , Entrevistas como Assunto , Pandemias/prevenção & controle , Saúde Pública , Feminino , Masculino , SARS-CoV-2RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The article describes attitudes towards vaccinations in Poland in relation to issues such as voluntary versus compulsory vaccinations, the method of financing vaccinations, the method of organizing and carrying out vaccinations, the cognitive and educational aspect of vaccines (how to obtain knowledge about vaccines) and the preferred model of work and research on new vaccines. Taking into account these issues, the authors have created four ideal models of preferred vaccination policies: (a) the market model; (b) the state model; (c) the vaccine hesitancy model; and (d) the civic-social model. This perspective makes it possible to better understand and learn about the various motives behind the attitudes of anti-vaccination movements, as well as to notice cracks and divisions among vaccination supporters and their attitudes towards the financing and organization of vaccinations. METHODS: The study was carried out using the CATI method on a representative random-quota sample of Polish society of 1000 people aged 18 and over. The study took age, sex, education and the size of the place of residence into account. Additionally, in the Socio-demographic factors influencing attitudes towards vaccination practices in Poland section, we used the chi-squared test and regression analysis of factors influencing vaccination practices in Poland. PASW Statistics 18 (a version of SPSS) software was used for statistical analysis. Significant correlations were demonstrated at a significance level of 0.05% Pearson. RESULTS: This article has shown that attitudes towards vaccinations are embedded in broader divisions and orientations related to the vision of the social order: the role of the state, the organization of healthcare and payments for vaccinations and medical services, as well as preferred ways of knowledge production in society and work on new vaccines. The political sympathies and the age of the respondents were the most important variables influencing vaccination behaviour. The education of the respondents was less important. CONCLUSIONS: A few years after the peak of the pandemic, the scope of anti-vaccination attitudes in Polish society ranges from 20% of the population (dogmatic anti-vaxxers) to 30% (vaccine hesitancy occurring depending on attitudes towards vaccinations).
Assuntos
COVID-19 , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Hesitação Vacinal , Vacinação , Humanos , Polônia , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Vacinação/psicologia , Masculino , Feminino , Adulto , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Adulto Jovem , Adolescente , Idoso , SARS-CoV-2 , Pandemias , Vacinas contra COVID-19 , Movimento contra Vacinação/psicologia , Política , Inquéritos e Questionários , Política de SaúdeRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have prompted a need for health agencies to improve their disease preparedness strategies, informing their communities of new information and promoting preventive behaviors to help curb the spread of the virus. METHODS: We ran unsupervised machine learning and emotion analysis, validated with manual coding, on posts of health agencies (N = 1588) and their associated public comments (N = 7813) during a crucial initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic (January 2020 to February 2021) among nine different counties with a higher proportion of vaccine-hesitant communities in Northern California. In addition, we explored differences in concerns and expressed emotions by two key group-level factors, county-level COVID-19 death rate and political party affiliation. RESULTS: We consistently find that while health agencies primarily disseminated information about COVID-19 and the vaccine, they failed to address the concerns of their communities as expressed in public comment sections. Topics among public audiences focused on concerns with the COVID-19 vaccine safety and rollout, state mandates, flu vaccination, and frustration with politicians, and they expressed more positive and more negative emotions than health agencies. Further, there were several differences in primary topics and emotions expressed among public audiences by county-level COVID-19 death rate and political party affiliation. CONCLUSION: While this research serves as a case study, findings indicate how local health agencies, and their audiences, discuss their perceptions and concerns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and may inform health communication researchers and practitioners on how to prepare and manage for emerging health crises.
Assuntos
Vacinas contra COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Mídias Sociais , Humanos , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , COVID-19/epidemiologia , California/epidemiologia , Mídias Sociais/estatística & dados numéricos , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , SARS-CoV-2 , Vacinação/estatística & dados numéricos , Vacinação/psicologia , Aprendizado de MáquinaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a widely utilised framework for understanding vaccination behaviour against COVID-19. This study assessed the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in Ghana and identified predictors using HBM domains, including perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action. Additionally, it examined the sources of information about COVID-19 vaccines. METHODS: We employed a cross-sectional quantitative design, using convenient and snowball sampling methods to recruit participants. Between March 20 and May 10, 2023, 822 Ghanaians completed a predesigned self-administered online survey via commonly used social media platforms (WhatsApp, Facebook, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn). The study used a binary logistic regression to predict COVID-19 booster dose acceptance. RESULTS: The respondents had a mean age of 29.3 ± 6.2, with 55.5 being males, 53.0% being single/never married, 93.7% having tertiary education, 83.0% being Christians, 59.1% were healthcare workers, 57.8% residing in urban areas, 95.5% having no chronic disease, 90.6% reporting negative COVID-19 history, and 78.3% reporting no reported relative/friend infected with COVID-19. The study showed that 81.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 78.4 - 83.8%] of respondents received the COVID-19 vaccine, and 58.3% [95% CI = 54.2 - 62.5%] of respondents were willing to accept the COVID-19 booster dose. The main reasons for non-acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses were personal reasons (41.7%) and experienced side effects or fear of side effects (32.4%). Regression analysis revealed that perceived benefits and perceived barriers (specifically worrying about serious risk factors) were the significant predictors of accepting COVID-19 booster doses in Ghana. CONCLUSIONS: Many respondents were willing to receive the COVID-19 booster dose. Personal reasons, fear of side effects, and experienced side effects were the main reasons for refusing COVID-19 booster doses. Perceived benefits and perceived barriers predicted COVID-19 booster dose acceptance in Ghana. Policymakers should consider these factors in designing public health interventions to increase the patronage of COVID-19 booster doses.
Assuntos
Vacinas contra COVID-19 , COVID-19 , Modelo de Crenças de Saúde , Imunização Secundária , Humanos , Gana , Masculino , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Adulto , Vacinas contra COVID-19/administração & dosagem , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Adulto Jovem , Imunização Secundária/estatística & dados numéricos , Imunização Secundária/psicologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Aceitação pelo Paciente de Cuidados de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Aceitação pelo Paciente de Cuidados de Saúde/psicologia , Inquéritos e Questionários , Adolescente , Hesitação Vacinal/estatística & dados numéricos , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologiaRESUMO
Physician recommendations can reduce vaccine hesitancy (VH) and improve uptake yet are often done poorly and can be improved by early-career training. We examined educational interventions for medical students in Western countries to explore what is being taught, identify effective elements, and review the quality of evidence. A mixed methods systematic narrative review, guided by the JBI framework, assessed the study quality using MERSQI and Cote & Turgeon frameworks. Data were extracted to analyze content and framing, with effectiveness graded using value-based judgment. Among the 33 studies with 30 unique interventions, effective studies used multiple methods grounded in educational theory to teach knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Most interventions reinforced a deficit-based approach (assuming VH stems from misinformation) which can be counterproductive. Effective interventions used hands-on, interactive methods emulating real practice, with short- and long-term follow-ups. Evidence-based approaches like motivational interviewing should frame interventions instead of the deficit model.
Assuntos
Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Estudantes de Medicina , Hesitação Vacinal , Humanos , Estudantes de Medicina/psicologia , Estudantes de Medicina/estatística & dados numéricos , Hesitação Vacinal/psicologia , Vacinação/psicologia , Educação Médica/métodosRESUMO
Since the declaration of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic, intensive measures were taken to mitigate its negative health, psychological, social, and economic impact. COVID-19 continues to pose serious threats globally, with vaccination as the central safe strategy to control the pandemic. However, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is a major concern, especially in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Concerns regarding vaccine safety, efficacy, and misinformation contribute to vaccine hesitancy. Addressing these concerns and providing accurate information is crucial for increasing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and uptake in this region, where the coverage is low. Variable rates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy were found in the numerous studies conducted in the region. Complex factors contributed to vaccination hesitancy in the region including concerns about COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy, low trust in healthcare systems, complacency toward the risks of COVID-19, constraints hindering access to COVID-19 vaccination services, as well as the circulation of misinformation and conspiracy beliefs about COVID-19 and its vaccination. Effective approaches to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the MENA region rely on developing evidence-based communication strategies that are recommended to build trust in vaccination, highlight the disease risks, and counter COVID-19 vaccine-related misinformation. Ensuring COVID-19 vaccine affordability is also necessary besides the cautious consideration of implementing COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Based on the preceding discussion, this chapter aims to identify the common themes of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the MENA region. In addition, the chapter highlights the importance of understanding the root causes of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy and its associated determinants to develop effective strategies for promoting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and uptake in the MENA region. To build community trust, promote community education and awareness, and counter misinformation for better COVID-19 vaccine coverage in the region, it is recommended to involve healthcare professionals and policymakers.