Characteristics associated with the willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and an exploration of the general public's perceptions: A mixed-methods approach

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 vaccination, the access to vaccines has been unequal among countries and individuals, for example low-income countries displayed significant low levels of vaccination. Furthermore, most refugees are living in developing low-income countries which struggling to access the essential health-care services including vaccination. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the experiences and perceptions of COVID-19 infection and vaccination among Palestine refugees in Jerash camp compared to resident Jordanian citizens.MethodsA face-to-face interview-based comparative cross-sectional study was carried out among Palestine refugees in Jerash camp located in northern Jordan and Jordanian citizens from different cities in Jordan from October, 2021 to March, 2022. A Chi-square test was used to determine the differences in the experiences and perceptions of COVID-19 infection and vaccination between Palestinian refugees and resident Jordanian citizens. Logistic regression analysis was performed to predict factors associated with the beliefs, barriers and hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines.ResultsThe total number of participants was 992, with 501 (50.5%) Palestinian refugees and 491 (49.5%) Jordanian citizens. Most participants (64.1%) who have never been tested for COVID-19 were from the refugees (P < 0.001), whereas about 80.3% of the participants tested for COVID-19 at private healthcare institutions were citizens (P < 0.001). While 70.0% of the participants who tested positive for COVID-19 (n = 303) were from the refugees (P < 0.001). Compared to the citizens, the refugees had significantly lower levels of beliefs about the safety (P = 0.008) and efficiency (P < 0.001) of COVID-19 vaccines. They also had lower rates of vaccine hesitancy (P = 0.002) and vaccine uptake (P < 0.001), and a higher rate of facing difficulties during registration for COVID-19 vaccination (P < 0.001). Furthermore, refugees have more negative attitudes toward the importance and implementation of COVID-19 precautionary activities, including wearing face masks, practicing social distancing and following proper prevention hygiene compared to citizens (P < 0.001). The regression analysis showed that gender (P < 0.001), age (P < 0.001) and level of education (P = 0.001) were significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Also, being a refugee (P < 0.001) and being a male (P = 0.012) were significantly associated with facing more difficulties upon the registration to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.ConclusionsThis study showed that, compared to citizens, refugees had lower attitudes and practices toward COVID-19 infection and vaccination. They also had and a lower rate of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and uptake with limited access to vaccines. Government sectors and non-government organizations should implement policies and regulations to raise the awareness of refugees towards COVID-19 infection, testing, preventive measures, and the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

Assess COVID-19 vaccine uptake among veterinarians and describe unvaccinated veterinarians' perceptions of COVID-19 disease and vaccines. 2,721 (14%) of 19,654 randomly sampled AVMA members. A survey of AVMA members was conducted between June 8 and June 18, 2021. Information was collected on COVID-19 experience, vaccination intention, and perceptions of COVID-19 disease and vaccines. A total of 2,721 AVMA members completed the survey. Most respondents reported receiving a COVID-19 vaccine (89% [2,428/2,721]). Most unvaccinated respondents disagreed with concerns about contracting (67% [196/292]) or being harmed by (65% [187/287]) COVID-19 but agreed with concerns about short- (79% [228/290]) and long-term (89% [258/289]) side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. Over 91% (268/292) did not agree that COVID-19 vaccine benefits outweigh the risk. Although 83% (244/293) of unvaccinated respondents reported being unlikely to get a COVID-19 vaccine, 47% (137/291) agreed they would be more likely if they knew people vaccinated without serious side effects. Perceptions of COVID-19 disease severity and susceptibility, beliefs about COVID-19 vaccine benefits, and barriers and facilitators to COVID-19 vaccination varied with vaccination intention. Results of the AVMA survey suggested that COVID-19 vaccination was widespread among veterinarians in June 2021. Understanding unvaccinated respondents' health beliefs about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines may facilitate veterinarian vaccination participation. Veterinarians who abstained from COVID-19 vaccination cited concerns about the safety, efficacy, and necessity of COVID-19 vaccines. Our results suggested that demonstrating vaccine safety and a favorable risk-to-benefit ratio of vaccination may help reduce vaccine hesitancy and increase uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among veterinarians.

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the way that the world views vaccines. While safe and effective, COVID-19 vaccines were, and continue to be met with hesitancy and misinformation. We aimed to understand public perceptions and trust in COVID-19 vaccinations and how the pandemic has impacted perceptions of non-COVID-19 vaccines. Survey data were collected between August 7, 2023-August 16, 2023, from 7,000 respondents aged 18 years and older from the United States (n = 1,000); Nigeria (n = 1,000); United Kingdom (n = 1,000); France (n = 1,000); Canada (n = 1,000); Brazil (n = 1,000); and India (n = 1,000). Trust in COVID-19 vaccines was highest in Brazil (84.6%) and India (80.4%) and lowest in the United States (63.5%) and France (55.0%). 47.5% of respondents agreed that they trust traditional protein-based vaccines more than mRNA vaccines, 13.5% disagree and 39.0% are neutral about their trust in protein-based versus mRNA vaccines. Overall, 53.9% of respondents reported that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their perceptions of vaccines with half of these respondents (51.7%) reporting that the pandemic made them think that other vaccines are more important as they understand how critical vaccines can be at preventing serious illnesses. These data can be used by health system decision makers, public health and researchers to understand how vaccine trust impacts perceptions of COVID-19 and influenza vaccines globally and develop tailored interventions that address local concerns.

BackgroundVaccination has been considered one of the most effective public health interventions. In the context of the global epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it remains unclear what role general vaccination attitudes and perceptions have on the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine.ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the impact of general attitudes and perceptions toward vaccination on the acceptance of a newly developed vaccine, taking COVID-19 vaccines as an example.MethodA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2,013 Chinese adult participants. Generalized order logistic regression and path analysis models were used to analyze impacts of general attitudes and perceptions toward vaccination on the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine.ResultsThe prevalence of hesitancy to vaccination in general is 49.9% among the Chinese adult population. General perceptions of vaccination were associated with corresponding perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine. A “no hesitancy” attitude toward vaccination is a significant determinant (aOR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.36–2.31) of future COVID-19 vaccination compared to vaccine refusers, and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccine remain a significant determinant for the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. Path analysis indicates that perceptions of the importance and safety of vaccination have a positive overall effect on the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine, and that general perceptions of vaccination as a whole on each measure indirectly influence the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine.ConclusionGeneral attitudes and perceptions toward vaccination were associated with those of the COVID-19 vaccine and future vaccination intention. To prepare for possible emergence of diseases in the future, routine health campaigns should be launched by relevant government departments and vaccination authorities to enhance the overall awareness and knowledge of vaccination among the public and to ensure optimal vaccination experience. In addition, targeted knowledge dissemination and mass mobilizations should be urged for newly developed vaccines when some specific infectious diseases emerge, such as COVID-19 at present.

BackgroundAlthough vaccination has been shown to be one of the most important interventions, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy remains one of the top 10 global public health challenges worldwide.ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to investigate (1) major determinants of vaccine hesitancy, (2) changes in the determinants of vaccine hesitancy at different time periods, and (3) the potential factors affecting vaccine acceptance.MethodsThis study applied a mixed methods approach to explore the potential determinants contributing to vaccine hesitancy among the Taiwanese population. The quantitative design of this study involved using Google Trends search query data. We chose the search term “疫苗“ (vaccine), selected ”台灣” (Taiwan) as the location, and selected the period between December 18, 2020, and July 31, 2021. The rising keywords related to vaccine acceptance and hesitancy were collected. Based on the responses obtained from the qualitative study and the rising keywords obtained in Google Trends, the 3 most popular keywords related to vaccine hesitancy were identified and used as search queries in Google Trends between December 18, 2020, and July 31, 2021, to generate relative search volumes (RSVs). Lastly, autoregressive integrated moving average modeling was used to forecast the RSVs for the 3 keywords between May 29 and July 31, 2021. The estimated RSVs were compared to the observed RSVs in Google Trends within the same time frame.ResultsThe 4 prevailing factors responsible for COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy were doubts about the government and manufacturers, side effects, deaths associated with vaccination, and efficacy of vaccination. During the vaccine observation period, “political role” was the overarching consideration leading to vaccine hesitancy. During the peak of the pandemic, side effects, death, and vaccine protection were the main factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy. The popularity of the 3 frequently searched keywords “side effects,” “vaccine associated deaths,” and “vaccine protection” continued to rise throughout the pandemic outbreak. Lastly, the highest Google search queries related to COVID-19 vaccines emerged as “side effects” prior to vaccination, deaths associated with vaccines during the period when single vaccines were available, and “side effects” and “vaccine protection” during the period when multiple vaccines were available.ConclusionsInvestigating the key factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy appears to be a fundamental task that needs to be undertaken to ensure effective implementation of COVID-19 vaccination. Google Trends may be used as a complementary infoveillance tool by government agencies for future vaccine policy implementation and communication.

COVID-19 vaccine perceptions and hesitancy amongst parents of school-aged children during the pediatric vaccine rollout

BackgroundPatients with autoimmune rheumatic disease (AIRD) are at risk of severe COVID-19 infection and vaccine has been demonstrated to be able to reduce the severity of infection. Malaysia has a...

Vaccination is currently the most effective strategy for combating COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccines were introduced to the adult population in Israel in early December 2020 and have been available for children aged 12–15 since June 2021. Our study aimed at assessing the influence of vaccine literacy, perception, hesitancy, and behavior on Israeli parents’ intentions to have their children vaccinated. Using an anonymous online questionnaire, we recruited 520 parents; 70.4% of the parents indicated that they would get their children vaccinated. The participants’ COVID-19 vaccination status was the only socio-demographic factor significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccination acceptability (OR = 32.89; 95%CI = [13.11, 82.54]). The most common sources of information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine were health-care providers and the Internet. Parents who intend to vaccinate their children had higher mean levels of vaccine literacy (2.99 ± 0.47 vs. 3.07 ± 0.44 respectively, p = 0.06), more positive perception of the vaccine (mean scores of 2.26 ± 0.75 vs. 3.44 ± 0.68 respectively, p < 0.001), and lower perceived vaccine hesitancy (7.53 ± 2.37 vs. 4.68 ± 2.71 respectively, p < 0.001) than parents who do not intend to do so. Vaccine behavior was measured using the 5C model of psychological antecedents. All 5C components were significantly correlated with parents’ willingness to vaccinate their children. Understanding of parents’ willingness to have their children receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the barriers to and facilitators of the vaccination is crucial, as vaccination of children aged 5–11 has recently been approved by the FDA. Providing the population with reliable information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine is an important measure in the attempt to increase COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.

Introduction: Community perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines are responses or acceptance based on the information obtained regarding beliefs about the halal status of vaccines, willingness to be vaccinated, and the capacity of healthcare workers providing the COVID-19 vaccine. This is due to numerous issues affecting information about the COVID-19 vaccine. These facts have encouraged the government to enhance the COVID-19 vaccination program within the community. Objective: This study aims to explore and analyze the public perception of the COVID-19 vaccine. It seeks to identify key factors influencing attitudes towards the vaccine, including trust in health authorities, misinformation, demographic variables, and socio-political influences. The objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the drivers of vaccine acceptance and hesitancy to inform public health interventions. Method: This writing uses a literature review method. It involves searching for and filtering articles that meet predetermined criteria through inclusion criteria. In this writing, scientific articles were found using Google Scholar with search keywords "community perceptions," "knowledge," and "COVID-19 vaccine." Result: The study revealed a complex landscape of public perception regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Trust in health authorities and exposure to misinformation emerged as significant factors impacting perceptions. There is a relationship between knowledge and community behavior, education level and vaccination history with knowledge, religion with community attitudes, and COVID-19 vaccination history. Conclusion: Knowledge influences community perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine. Therefore, it is necessary to provide comprehensive and equitable information to all communities about the usefulness, safety of the COVID-19 vaccine, and all updated information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.

Sentiments of vaccine hesitancy and distrust in public health institutions have complicated the government-led coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine control strategy in the United States. As the first to receive the vaccine, COVID-19 vaccine attitudes among frontline workers are consequential for COVID-19 control and public opinion of the vaccine. In this study, we used a repeated cross-sectional survey administered at 3 time points between 24 September 2020 and 6 February 2021 to a cohort of employees of the University of California, Los Angeles Health and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The primary outcome of interest was COVID-19 vaccination intent and vaccine uptake. Confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine uptake rose significantly over time. At survey 1, confidence in vaccine protection was 46.4% among healthcare workers (HCWs) and 34.6% among first responders (FRs); by survey 3, this had risen to 90.0% and 75.7%, respectively. At survey 1, about one-third of participants intended to receive a vaccine as soon as possible. By survey 3, 96.0% of HCWs and 87.5% of FRs had received a COVID-19 vaccine. Attitudes toward vaccine uptake increased over the study period, likely a result of increased public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, targeted communications, a COVID-19 winter surge in Los Angeles County, and ease of access from employer-sponsored vaccine distribution.

The effectiveness and safety of mRNA (BNT162b2) and inactivated (CoronaVac) COVID-19 vaccines among individuals with chronic kidney diseases

Data on US caregiver perceptions on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and COVID-19 vaccination are limited. We identified trends in and associations with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in caregivers of hospitalized children. Cross-sectional surveys on pediatric COVID-19 disease and vaccine attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs were administered across study years (December 8, 2020-April 5, 2021, November 30, 2021-March 15, 2022, and October 26, 2022-March 15, 2023). English and Spanish-speaking caregivers of hospitalized children ages 6 months to 11 years were included. General vaccine hesitancy was assessed using the Parent Attitudes about Childhood Vaccines survey. Of 1268 caregivers from diverse backgrounds, one-third vaccinated or intended to vaccinate their child. Half endorsed fear of their child receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and were concerned the vaccine was new. Over time, more believed "the COVID-19 vaccine does not work" and fewer agreed "children who are otherwise healthy can die from COVID-19." Study season (2022-2023), older child age, higher income, child receipt of influenza vaccine, caregiver receipt of COVID-19 vaccine, and not being worried about vaccine novelty were positively associated with child vaccination. Intent to vaccinate was negatively associated with study season (2022-2023), Parent Attitudes about Childhood Vaccines score ≥50, lack of child influenza and caregiver COVID-19 vaccination, lack of fear of their child "getting COVID-19" and being "worried that the COVID-19 vaccine is new." The majority who intended to vaccinate were willing to immunize before discharge. Vaccine novelty and perceived lack of need were associated with refusal. Caregiver COVID-19 and child influenza vaccine acceptance were positively associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. The inpatient setting offers the opportunity to improve vaccine uptake.

The Covid-19 vaccine is still often rejected by the public, especially those who are in places with a lack of information. This affects the public knowledge and perception of the Covid-19 Vaccine. The objective of this study is to determine the level of public knowledge and perception about the Covid-19 Vaccine and to determine the correlation between the characteristics of public and perception of the Covid-19 vaccine and the correlation between the level of public knowledge and perception about the Covid-19 Vaccine. This research is observational research with a quantitative descriptive research design using a cross-sectional approach. The findings indicate that the knowledge level of the people in Tuladenggi Village about the Covid-19 Vaccine in the low category is 22%, medium category is 46%, and high category is 33%. On the other hand, the perception of people in Tuladenggi Village about Covid-19 Vaccine in the negative category is 21%, the neutral category is 25%, and the positive category is 55%. Some of the respondents' characteristics, namely Age, Occupation, Education, Marital Status, Disease History, Vaccination Status, Vaccine Type, and Symptoms, have a significant correlation with perception, with a p-value lower than 0.005. In contrast, Gender and Religion do not have a significant correlation with perception, with a value, higher than 0.005. The correlation between the level of public knowledge about vaccine and perception obtains p-value of 0.000 (p0.05).

Introduction: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has negatively impacted society as a whole. Vaccination became the only reliable solution to overcome the severity of this pandemic. A critical factor to achieve an adequate vaccination coverage is by improving public confidence in immunization. Social media plays an important role in reflecting public perception towards certain topics, such as COVID-19 vaccination. This study aims to evaluate U.S. Twitter users’ sentiments and emotions towards COVID-19 vaccination, and the changes experienced before and after vaccine rollout. Methods: COVID-19 vaccine related tweets were collected from Twitter’s Application Programming Interface. We analyzed tweets from March 11, 2020, to May 17, 2021, and divide them into two groups; before and after the first vaccine was implemented in the U.S. Sentiment analysis, negative binomial regression and linear regression models were used for inferential analysis. Results: A total of 19,654 tweets were extracted. From those, 10,374 and 9,280 tweets were posted before and after COVID-19 vaccine was launched in U.S., respectively. A statistically significant difference was evidenced between the two groups when comparing each individual emotion, and positive and negative sentiments, except for joy. Lastly, a statistically significant increase of the sentiment score in the post COVID-19 vaccine group compared to the pre COVID-19 vaccine group was evidenced. Conclusion: Our findings evidenced that public perception of the COVID-19 vaccine has positively changed over time and suggest that the terms “trials” and “vaccination”, which were associated to trust, could potentially be used to create targeted educational and promotional schemes to achieve a better vaccination coverage rate.

Exploring public perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine online from a cultural perspective: Semantic network analysis of two social media platforms in the United States and China