Willingness to Take COVID-19 Vaccines in Ethiopia: An Instrumental Variable Probit Approach.

Abayomi Samuel Oyekale

doi:10.3390/ijerph18178892

Abstract

This paper analyzed the factors influencing the willingness of Ethiopia’s population to take COVID-19 vaccines. The data included the COVID-19 High Frequency Phone Survey of Households in Ethiopia that were collected in 2021. This paper relied on the 10th round of the survey, which was comprised of 2178 households. The Instrumental Variable Probit regression model was used to analyze the data. The results showed that majority of the respondents (92.33%) would receiveCOVID-19 vaccines, while 6.61% and 1.06% were, respectively, unwilling and unsure. Across the regions of Ethiopia, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) (99.30%), Oromia (97.54%), Tigray (97.04%) and Gambela (95.42%) had the highest proportions of respondents willing to have the vaccine. Vaccine safety concern was the topmost reason for those unwilling to receive the vaccine. The results of the Instrumental Variable Probit regression showed that currently working, age, engagement with non-farm businesses and region of residence significantly influenced the population’s willingness to take the vaccine (p < 0.05). It was concluded that although the willingness be vaccinated was impressive, without everyone being receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, infection risk can still be high; this is due to the persistent mutation of the viral strains. Thus, there is a need to intensify efforts toward addressing the safety issues of COVID-19 vaccines, while efforts to enhance acceptability should focus on the youth population and those who are unemployed.

Highlights

Judging by the intensity of its morbidity and mortality, COVID-19 has proved to be one of the worst pandemics the world has recently witnessed
Standards Measurement Study (LSMS) to implement this survey based on existing longterm collaboration with the Central Statistical Agency (CSA) of Ethiopia [23].The survey is a subsample of the Ethiopia Socioeconomic Survey (ESS) that was conducted by the CSA in 2018/2019
The results in the Table further reveal that respondents from urban areas accounted for 75.34% of the respondents and majority of those who were not willing to be vaccinated came from urban areas

Summary

Introduction

Judging by the intensity of its morbidity and mortality, COVID-19 has proved to be one of the worst pandemics the world has recently witnessed. Having been declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), addressing COVID-19 requires the proper administration of medical services, among which effective vaccination cannot be over-emphasized [1]. This is in alignment with conventional wisdom derived from the fact that, aside from access to safe drinking water, no other interventions in the history of mankind have had significant impacts on reducing incidences of morbidity and mortality as vaccinations [2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) is advocating for speedy interventions that would ensure access of every individual to COVID-19 vaccines, as a way of securing our collective existence given the severity of the ongoing pandemic.

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion