Attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccination among Hospital Staff-Understanding What Matters to Hesitant People.

Anne Spinewine,Perrine Evrard,Christine Laurent,Christelle Vastrade,Bénédicte Delaere,Séverine Henrard,Catherine Pétein

doi:10.3390/vaccines9050469

Anne Spinewine, Perrine Evrard + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9050469

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Journal: Vaccines	Publication Date: May 6, 2021
Citations: 36	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Université Catholique de Louvain

Abstract

Hospital staff are a priority target group in the European COVID-19 vaccination strategy. Measuring the extent of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy and understanding the reasons behind it are essential to be able to tailor effective communication campaigns. Using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a theoretical framework, a survey was conducted among staff members of a Belgian three-site hospital center between 6 and 20 January 2021. Multivariable logistic ordinal regression was performed to assess determinants of the attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination. Reasons for and against COVID-19 vaccination and the need for information were explored among hesitant staff members. Among the respondents (N = 1132), 58% and 4.9% said that they would certainly and certainly not get vaccinated, respectively; 37.1% were hesitant, with different degrees of certainty. A positive attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination was associated with being older, being a physician, being vaccinated against seasonal flu, and with several HBM factors (including perceived benefits and cues to actions). Among hesitant staff, concerns about potential side effects and the impression that the vaccine was developed too quickly were the main reasons against COVID-19 vaccination. The key factors in the decision process were data on vaccine efficacy and safety, and knowing that vaccination went well in others. These data are helpful to further tailor the communication campaign and ensure sufficient vaccination coverage among hospital staff.

Highlights

As of December 2020, more than 18 million individuals had been infected with COVID19 in Europe and around 412,000 had died [1], of which 17,000 were in Belgium [2]
The study conducted by Verger et al among healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Quebec, France, and Belgium in October and November 2020 showed that 43.8% of the HCPs surveyed would “certainly” take the COVID-19 vaccine, and 28.5% “probably” [8], which would be below the European Commission’s expectations in terms of vaccination coverage
In the United States, the report by Gharpure et al showed that a median of 37.5% of the participating long-term care staff had accepted the first shot of COVID-19 vaccine, demonstrating a low response to the vaccination campaign by these healthcare workers [9]

Summary

Introduction

As of December 2020, more than 18 million individuals had been infected with COVID19 in Europe and around 412,000 had died [1], of which 17,000 were in Belgium [2]. As part of the European vaccination strategy, healthcare workers were identified as one of the priority groups for vaccination, with the goal of vaccinating 80% of them by March 2021 [6]. The study conducted by Verger et al among HCPs in Quebec, France, and Belgium in October and November 2020 showed that 43.8% of the HCPs surveyed would “certainly” take the COVID-19 vaccine, and 28.5% “probably” [8], which would be below the European Commission’s expectations in terms of vaccination coverage. In the United States, the report by Gharpure et al showed that a median of 37.5% of the participating long-term care staff had accepted the first shot of COVID-19 vaccine (between mid-December 2020 and mid-January 2021), demonstrating a low response to the vaccination campaign by these healthcare workers [9]

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