The Effect of Health Professionals' Attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccines on Hesitance Situations: The Mediator Role of Vaccine Confidence

Abstract

Purpose of the research is to evaluate the attitudes, hesitancy and confidence of healthcare professionals towards COVID-19 vaccines during the second peak period of the COVID-19 epidemic in Turkey, and to determine the mediating role of vaccine confidence in the effect of their attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines on hesitancy. A hospital-based cross-sectional research design was used in the study. The population of the research consisted of the health workers of three different training and research hospitals operating in Istanbul. Convenience sampling method was preferred in the study. The data were collected by the researchers themselves using the online survey technique. A total of 440 questionnaires were evaluated. The data were analyzed with SPSS and AMOS package programs. The findings of the study revealed that nearly two-thirds of the participants had a positive attitude towards potential COVID-19 vaccines, partially having higher confidence and less hesitation. In addition, the empirical result of the study revealed that positive attitudes towards potential COVID-19 vaccines reduce vaccine hesitancy. In addition, it has been found that vaccine trust has a significant indirect effect and partially mediates the relationship between attitude towards potential COVID-19 vaccines and hesitancy. This research revealed that positive attitudes towards potential COVID-19 vaccines reduce vaccine hesitations through high vaccine confidence. Thus, increased positive attitudes towards potential COVID-19 vaccines and increased vaccine confidence were significantly associated with decreased vaccine hesitancy.