Comparison of Vaccine Acceptance Between COVID-19 and Seasonal Influenza Among Women in China: A National Online Survey Based on Health Belief Model.

Liyuan Tao,Ruitong Wang,Jue Liu

doi:10.3389/fmed.2021.679520

Abstract

Background: Influenza could circulate in parallel with COVID-19. Studies focusing on the comparison of vaccine acceptance between COVID-19 and seasonal influenza are lacking. The aim of the study was to assess and compare vaccine acceptance of COVID-19 and influenza among reproductive women in China, in order to better understand and address factors associated with vaccine acceptance and to provide guidance for targeted measures to promote vaccination.Methods: A national anonymous cross-sectional survey on COVID-19 and influenza vaccine acceptance among reproductive women aged 18–49 years in China was conducted online based on health belief model, a model widely used to evaluate health beliefs. Sociodemographic characteristics, health status, knowledge, attitude, and health beliefs related to COVID-19 and influenza infection and vaccination were retrieved. Pearson's χ2 test was used to compare the vaccine acceptance by the factors mentioned above. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the adjusted associations of factors related to vaccine acceptance. Paired t-test was used to compare scores of health beliefs between influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations.Results: COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate among reproductive women was 90.3% (95% CI 89.2–91.3%), which was significantly higher than influenza vaccine acceptance rate (85.5%, 95% CI: 84.2–86.7%). Influenza and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance both had the trends to decrease with age (all p < 0.05). Living in the western region, young age, a high level of knowledge scores on disease and vaccines, a high level of perceived susceptibility, a high level of cues to action, and a low level of perceived barriers were positively associated with both COVID-19 and influenza vaccine acceptance (all p < 0.05), while influenza vaccination history was additionally associated with influenza vaccine acceptance (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Our findings suggest that tailored public health measures are needed to improve reproductive women's knowledge of COVID-19, influenza, and vaccines to alleviate women's vaccine hesitancy and expand vaccine uptake.

Highlights

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infectious disease that has become a global pandemic, imposing tremendous burden on global health and severely disrupting the society and worldwide economics
Influenza vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance both had the trends to decrease with age (p < 0.001, Table 1), and the rate of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was higher than that of the influenza vaccine for all age groups
A nationwide anonymous cross-sectional survey of vaccine acceptance on COVID-19 and seasonal influenza among reproductive women aged 18–49 years in China based on health belief model (HBM) was conducted online via Wen Juan Xing platform to assess and compare vaccine acceptance between COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccination, and to understand factors associated with vaccine acceptance

Summary

Introduction

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infectious disease that has become a global pandemic, imposing tremendous burden on global health and severely disrupting the society and worldwide economics. The co-circulation of specific strains of influenza virus and inadequate influenza vaccination rates pose burden on healthcare systems [2]. In the absence of effective therapy against COVID-19, safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines are imperatively called for halting the spread of coronavirus, recovering social economics from continuous disruption, and eventually establishing herd immunity. As both influenza and COVID-19 are caused by respiratory pathogens that share similar routes of transmission, along with the regular seasonality of influenza circulation [5, 6], specialists are concerned that influenza could circulate in parallel with COVID-19 in winter and spring.

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