Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Kwara State, Nigeria: The role of public health management professionals in driving behavioral change

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has been a global concern since the onset of the pandemic. Vaccination has emerged as an effective intervention to prevent infection, alleviate severe clinical symptoms, and reduce mortality rates. COVID-19 vaccines, approved by the World Health Organization and other health regulatory bodies, have been administered worldwide, including in Nigeria. However, vaccine hesitancy has hindered the widespread uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine. This study, conducted between December 2021 and May 2022, aimed to assess factors influencing COVID-19 uptake within public health-care settings and the roles of health-care professionals in influencing vaccine uptake. A total of 366 health workers from randomly selected primary health centers in the Ilorin metropolis participated in this study, responding to the Barrier Analysis questionnaire. Chi-square analysis was utilized to determine relationships between variables and their significance. Our findings revealed trust in vaccines (100%), access to vaccination centers (93.3%), health-care professionals’ recommendations (85.5%), and education level (86.9%) as major determinants of vaccine uptake among health-care workers in Ilorin, Kwara State. Other factors included religious belief (99.3%) and family approval (97.6%). In conclusion, education, vaccine safety perception, access to vaccination centers, family approval, and health-care workers’ recommendations are key factors influencing behavioral changes toward COVID-19 vaccine uptake among health-care workers in Ilorin, Kwara State. The study recommends that public health agencies and the health ministry focus on these factors in policy formation to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Kwara State and Nigeria as a whole.