TY - JOUR
T1 - A Global Survey of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Healthcare Workers
AU - Noushad, Mohammed
AU - Rastam, Samer
AU - Nassani, Mohammad Zakaria
AU - Al-Saqqaf, Inas Shakeeb
AU - Hussain, Mudassir
AU - Yaroko, Ali Ango
AU - Arshad, Mohammed
AU - Kirfi, Abdullahi Musa
AU - Koppolu, Pradeep
AU - Niazi, Fayez Hussain
AU - Elkandow, Ali
AU - Darwish, Mahmoud
AU - Abdalla Nassar, Ahmad Salim
AU - Abuzied Mohammed, Sami Osman
AU - Abdalrady Hassan, Nasser Hassan
AU - Abusalim, Ghadah Salim
AU - Samran, Abdulaziz
AU - Alsalhani, Anas B.
AU - Demachkia, Amir Mohiddin
AU - de Melo, Renata Marques
AU - Luddin, Norhayati
AU - Husein, Adam
AU - Habib, Adnan
AU - Suleyman, Firas
AU - Osman, Hussein Ali
AU - Al-Awar, Mohammed Sadeg
AU - Dimashkieh, Mohiddin R.
AU - Swapna, Lingam Amara
AU - Barakat, Ali
AU - Alqerban, Ali
PY - 2022/2/8
Y1 - 2022/2/8
N2 - ObjectivesEven though several effective vaccines are available to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, wide disparities in vaccine distribution, and vaccine acceptance rates between high- and low-income countries appear to be major threats toward achieving population immunity. Our global descriptive study aims to inform policymakers on factors affecting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers (HCWs) in 12 countries, based on income index. We also looked for possible predictors of vaccine acceptance among the study sample. MethodsA structured questionnaire prepared after consultation with experts in the field and guided by the "Report of the SAGE working group on vaccine hesitancy" was administered among 2,953 HCWs. Upon obtaining informed consent, apart from demographic information, we collected information on trust in vaccines and health authorities, and agreement to accept a COVID-19 vaccine. ResultsAlthough 69% of the participants agreed to accept a vaccine, there was high heterogeneity in agreement between HCWs in low and lower-middle income countries (L-LMICs) and upper-middle- and high-income countries (UM-HICs), with acceptance rates of 62 and 75%, respectively. Potential predictors of vaccine acceptance included being male, 50 years of age or older, resident of an UM-HIC, updating self about COVID-19 vaccines, greater disease severity perception, greater anxiety of contracting COVID-19 and concern about side effects of vaccines. ConclusionsCOVID-19 vaccine acceptance among HCWs in L-LMICs was considerably low as compared to those from UM-HICs. The lowest vaccine acceptance rates were among HCWs from the African continent. This underlines the need for the implementation of country-specific vaccine promotion strategies, with special focus on increasing vaccine supply in L-LMICs.
AB - ObjectivesEven though several effective vaccines are available to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, wide disparities in vaccine distribution, and vaccine acceptance rates between high- and low-income countries appear to be major threats toward achieving population immunity. Our global descriptive study aims to inform policymakers on factors affecting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers (HCWs) in 12 countries, based on income index. We also looked for possible predictors of vaccine acceptance among the study sample. MethodsA structured questionnaire prepared after consultation with experts in the field and guided by the "Report of the SAGE working group on vaccine hesitancy" was administered among 2,953 HCWs. Upon obtaining informed consent, apart from demographic information, we collected information on trust in vaccines and health authorities, and agreement to accept a COVID-19 vaccine. ResultsAlthough 69% of the participants agreed to accept a vaccine, there was high heterogeneity in agreement between HCWs in low and lower-middle income countries (L-LMICs) and upper-middle- and high-income countries (UM-HICs), with acceptance rates of 62 and 75%, respectively. Potential predictors of vaccine acceptance included being male, 50 years of age or older, resident of an UM-HIC, updating self about COVID-19 vaccines, greater disease severity perception, greater anxiety of contracting COVID-19 and concern about side effects of vaccines. ConclusionsCOVID-19 vaccine acceptance among HCWs in L-LMICs was considerably low as compared to those from UM-HICs. The lowest vaccine acceptance rates were among HCWs from the African continent. This underlines the need for the implementation of country-specific vaccine promotion strategies, with special focus on increasing vaccine supply in L-LMICs.
KW - Covid-19
KW - Low-income countries
KW - Population immunity
KW - Vaccine acceptance
KW - Vaccine inequality
UR - https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=uwapure5-25&SrcAuth=WosAPI&KeyUT=WOS:000760479700001&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=WOS
U2 - 10.3389/fpubh.2021.794673
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2021.794673
M3 - Article
C2 - 35211453
SN - 2296-2565
VL - 9
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
JF - Frontiers in Public Health
M1 - 794673
ER -