ASSESSMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STATUS AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS COVID - 19 VACCINES IN FRONTLINE HEALTH WORKERS, OTHER FRONTLINE WORKERS AND UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS: A HOSPITAL BASED COMPARATIVE STUDY.

Abstract

Background: The WHO, declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020 due to its widespread nature.Considering heavy disease burden widespread vaccination is essential. There is vaccine hesitancy and doubt about its efcacy and anxiety for unknown side effects. Objective: Study, was aimed to assess psychological status and attitude towards COVID -19 vaccines in Frontline health workers, Other Frontline workers and Undergraduate medical students. Methods: This was hospital based cross sectional study. A total of 181 subjects included, among them there were 59 undergraduate medical students, 69 frontline health workers and 53 other frontline workers, age group between 18 to 60 years. Vaccination attitude and psychological status were assessed using Vaccination Attitudes Examination Scale (VAX) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21 Items (DASS-21) respectively. Group comparisons were analysed using ANOVAs along with Scheffe's test for post hoc comparisons. Results: Other frontline worker demonstrated signicantly higher anti-vaccinations attitude (VAX-T) towards COVID vaccines (10.39±2.72) as compared to under graduate medical student (9.712±4.12, p-0.00) and frontline workers (6.52±2.06, p-0.00). The study showed that higher hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccinations is positively correlated with higher scores of depressions, anxiety and stress. Conclusion: Frontline health worker demonstrated less hesitancy compared to medical students and other frontline workers. Vaccination acceptance can be improved with intensive awareness programs about its safety, efcacy and adverse effects by public health authorities and medical organizations.