A Study on the Attitude and Acceptance towards COVID-19 Vaccination among the Nursing Students of Arya Nursing College Kamrup (R)

Abstract

Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, World Health Organization (WHO) has worked with countries and areas in the western Pacific region on the public health measures to show or stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Safe and effective vaccine are important tools, in combination with other measures to protect people from COVID-19 and which can save lives and reduces the pandemic in wide3scale. A descriptive study was conducted on attitude and acceptance towards COVID-19 vaccination among the nursing students of Arya Nursing College, Kamrup (R) where 60 students of 1st year B.sc nursing were selected by using Non- probability Purposive Sampling Technique. The tool used in this study were semi-structured questionnaire, rating scale and self-structured questionnaire. The study findings revealed that mean score of attitude and acceptance was 75.46 and 25.76 respectively. The median for positive attitude score, negative attitude score and acceptance score was 41, 44 and 26 respectively, the standard deviation for the attitude score and acceptance score was 8.27 and 3.18 respectively. Most (87%) of the respondents scored on the positive attitude factor i.e encouraging family, relatives and friends to get vaccinated. Whereas in negative attitude factors, most (80%) of the respondents scored on following preventive measures after COVID-19 vaccine is needed. In factors influencing acceptance most of the respondents were concern regarding the COVID-19 vaccines safety and side effects (94%), (87%) were willing to get vaccinated and (85%) trust the information about COVID-19 vaccine from government and private health agencies. In factors influencing unwillingness of taking COVID-19 vaccination most of the respondents were concern regarding COVID-19 vaccine’s safety and side effects (94%). There was a significant positive correlation between positive attitude and acceptance towards COVID-19 vaccination at 0.05 level of significance and also a significant negative correlation between negative attitude and acceptance towards COVID-19 vaccination at 0.05 level of significance. A significant association was found between attitude with age, vaccination against COVID-19 and source of information. From the findings of the present study , it was concluded that most of the respondants had positive attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination and most of the respondants were willing to take vaccine.