COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination experiences and perceptions among health workers during the pandemic in Ebonyi state, Nigeria: An analytical cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background COVID-19 continues to be a disease of global public health importance and requires long-term management and control. Health workers’ (previous) experiences and perceptions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccination/vaccination process will influence not only their subsequent use of control measures but also public experiences/perceptions. We explored the COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination and the vaccination process experiences and perceptions, and their predictors, among the health workers in Ebonyi state, Nigeria. Methods We conducted an online-offline analytical cross-sectional survey between March 12 and May 9, 2022 among all categories of health workers (clinical/non-clinical, public/private) working/living in Ebonyi state who consented to participate and were selected by convenience/snowballing techniques. A structured electronic questionnaire was used to collect data: self-administered via WhatsApp and interviewer-administered via KoBoCollect for participants who did not have WhatsApp. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and bivariate/multivariate generalized linear models. Results Of the 1276 health workers surveyed: 55.8% had strong COVID-19 experience and perception, 80.7% had good COVID-19 vaccination expectation and perception, and 87.7% had positive COVID-19 vaccination process experience and perception. The most important predictors of the extent and level of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination and the vaccination process experiences and perceptions were level of place of work (primary-secondary/tertiary), level of attitude towards COVID-19 (vaccination), and level of knowledge about COVID-19. Another important predictor was place of work (public/private). Conclusions The evidence indicate the factors that should guide subsequent policy actions in the strategies to enhance the COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination and the vaccination process experiences and perceptions of health workers (and their use of control measures) in Ebonyi state, Nigeria, and other similar contexts. It also indicate factors to be considered by future policy actions regarding similar diseases.