Higher Vaccine Acceptance Research Articles

Exploring the Relation Between Health Literacy, Infodemic, and Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination in Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Health literacy (HL) plays a crucial role in navigating the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, especially with the abundance of conflicting information from unauthorized sources. This study aims to measure COVID-19 vaccine acceptability, COVID-19 HL, and COVID-19 infodemic and their predictors in Iranians. A cross-sectional study was conducted on the general population in Iran between August 20, 2021 to October 29, 2021. Data were collected using a valid questionnaire with four parts. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models, generalized linear models, and ordinal regression with the Polytomous Universal Model were performed using SPSS version 26. The study revealed that 68.6% of the participants were willing to accept the COVID-19 vaccine, 45% had sufficient knowledge about COVID-19, and 52.2% were confused by false information during the pandemic. The results showed that having sufficient COVID-19 HL was significantly associated with higher acceptance of the vaccine (adjusted odds ratio = 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02, 2.12). Additionally, higher COVID-19 HL scores were associated with a higher adjusted odds of confusion by false information with an odds ratio of 1.12 (95% CI: 1 .11, 1 .13). This study exhibits low levels of COVID-19 HL in Iran, and the fact that higher COVID-19 HL is associated with higher vaccine acceptance. Because vaccination is an essential preventive measure to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, factors associated with low vaccine acceptance need to be addressed by public health strategies. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2024;8(4):e184-e193.].

Compliance of the Jordanian Population with the Protective Measures during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic; A Nation-Wide Survey

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has spread globally, with over 695 million confirmed cases and 6.9 million deaths as of September 2023. Compliance with protective measures is considered essential to combat the pandemic. Objectives: To assess the adherence of the Jordanian population to preventive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey specifically focused on the habits and practices of Jordanians during the pandemic, as mentioned in the introductory sentence of the Google Forms questionnaire. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the general population in Jordan aged 18 and above using an online questionnaire distributed from March to July 2022. The questionnaire was divided into two sections: demographic characteristics and practice-related questions. Data were collected using Google Forms and analyzed using R Statistical Software. Results: Most of the 409 participants were under 30 years old (65.5%), female (70%), and held a college diploma or higher degree (80%). Around 57% had been infected with COVID-19 at least once, while 60% had a relative, friend, or colleague who died due to COVID-19. More than half of the participants (54%) demonstrated favorable practices. The multivariate analysis revealed that a previous COVID-19 infection significantly increased the odds of having favorable practices (OR=2.44; CI[1.59-3.77]; p<0.001). Conclusion: This study evaluated how Jordanians adhered to COVID-19 preventive measures during the pandemic. It was found that roughly half of the population effectively followed precautions such as using masks and hand sanitizers, although adherence to a balanced diet was less frequent. The likelihood of taking precautions increased after having had COVID-19. The study also reported high vaccine acceptance rates. These findings underscore the importance of public adherence to preventive measures, especially in areas like nutrition, and provide insights for future pandemic responses.

The power of the family in times of pandemic: Cross-country evidence from 93 countries

The majority of the hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19 occurred in people over the age of 65. In addition, previous studies have shown that intergenerational contacts played a key role in COVID-19-related infection and fatality. This paper utilized two large-scale multinational surveys to uncover the important role of family ties in infection prevention across 93 countries. Using the World Values Survey, we measured country-level family ties emphasizing respondents’ view of their parents. We elicited individual willingness to uptake infection prevention measures from a panel study conducted each month in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic between March 2020 and July 2021. We find that in countries with stronger family ties, people show more support for non-pharmaceutical interventions and higher vaccine acceptance; moreover, young people are more supportive of mandatory vaccination. The association between strength of family ties and compliance with infection prevention measures was salient before COVID-19 vaccines became available and was persistent before the global vaccination coverage reached 25%.

Willingness to accept malaria vaccines amongst women presenting at outpatient and immunization clinics in Enugu state, Southeast Nigeria

BackgroundThere are giant steps taken in the introduction of the novel malaria vaccine poised towards reducing mortality and morbidity associated with malaria.ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the knowledge of malaria vaccine and factors militating against willingness to accept the vaccine among mothers presenting in nine hospitals in Enugu metropolis.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study carried out among 491 mothers who presented with their children in nine hospitals in Enugu metropolis, South-East Nigeria. A pre-tested and interviewer-administered questionnaire was used in this study.ResultsA majority of the respondents, 72.1% were aware of malaria vaccine. A majority of the respondents, 83.1% were willing to receive malaria vaccine. Similarly, a majority of the mothers, 92.9%, were willing to vaccinate baby with the malaria vaccine, while 81.1% were willing to vaccinate self and baby with the malaria vaccine. The subjects who belong to the low socio-economic class were five times less likely to vaccinate self and baby with malaria vaccine when compared with those who were in the high socio-economic class (AOR = 0.2, 95% CI 0.1–0.5). Mothers who had good knowledge of malaria vaccination were 3.3 times more likely to vaccinate self and baby with malaria vaccine when compared with those who had poor knowledge of malaria vaccination (AOR = 3.3, 95% CI 1–6–6.8).ConclusionAlthough the study documented a high vaccine acceptance among the mothers, there exists a poor knowledge of the malaria vaccine among them.

Attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination: A cross sectional study in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.

Vaccine acceptance is complex and context-specific, varying across time, place and perceived behavioural nature of the community involved. A high vaccine acceptance rate is important to achieve herd immunity, however, vaccine hesitancy is a possible barrier to this. This study aimed to assess attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination and associated factors. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken to investigate the attitudes of Federal Capital Territory residents towards COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Nigeria. Data were collected using questionnaires which were administered to respondents physically and online through random and snowball sampling strategies respectively. Data received were then analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). A total of 1767 responses were received with males representing 57.8% of the sample. More than half (54.9%) of the respondents were between the ages of 18-30 years. A third (35.4%) of the study participants indicated that a vaccine was not necessary for COVID-19, and 56.5% indicated willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination. The majority of the sample (56.9%) indicated that the government decision-making was in their best interest, whilst close to two-thirds of the respondents (61%) were of the view that COVID-19 vaccination should not be made compulsory. Older respondents as represented by those over 60 years were more likely to accept COVID-19 vaccination (p = 0.039). This study however revealed negative attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination, indicating the urgent need for government, policymakers, and other stakeholders to prioritise the development of strategies that can appropriately address vaccine hesitancy in the study setting. Contextual interventions indicated include strategic public enlightenment campaigns targeting populations with less favourable dispositions towards being vaccinated.

The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Uptake Among Patients Visiting a University Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Influenza vaccination is a subject of importance in Saudi Arabia. The study measured the uptake of annual influenza vaccination from 2019 to 2021 among patients attending outpatient clinic of a University Hospital. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study design was used, and the questionnaire was administered by trained interviewers. Descriptive and inferential statistics were done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 (IBM, Armonk, New York). Results: The three-year annual influenza vaccine uptake for 2019-2021 was 19.7%, 11.4%, and 14.2%, respectively. In the year 2022, only 28.2% of the patients were offered influenza vaccines by their physicians, and among those offered, 49.6% showed vaccine acceptance. Higher vaccine acceptance was significantly associated with past episodes of influenza infection (p<0.001) and vaccination history before the COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001). Lower acceptance of the influenza vaccine was observed during the pandemic (p<0.001) and lower uptake among those who were not offered influenza vaccines (p=0.02). No association was found between influenza vaccine acceptance and smoking status, chronic illness, history of COVID-19 infection, or living with those susceptible to influenza. Reasons for vaccine denial include an assumption of not being at risk, a lack of information about the vaccine, and a fear of side effects. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental effect on annual influenza vaccination. Efforts must be taken to increase influenza vaccination among vulnerable groups.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Egypt: a cross-sectional study.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy is a major problem. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted on a sample of the Egyptian population using an online survey distributed through social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn. The questionnaire was composed of five parts: part I describing the research questionnaire and its aim, part II assessing the demographic data, part III assessing knowledge and attitude towards COVID-19 infection, and part IV and V evaluating knowledge regarding COVID-19 vaccines, factors affecting vaccine acceptance and participants' attitude toward vaccination. Regression models were used to assess factors associated with vaccine acceptability. A total of 24376 responses were included in the statistical analysis. Females represented more than two-thirds of the study sample (70.5%,) and 18-24 years was the most commonly reported age group. Around one-third of the sample were healthcare professionals (HCPs). Only 14.3% of the participants received or registered to receive the vaccine, while 47% refused to be vaccinated. Regression analysis revealed that male gender, secondary education, older age, married or divorced status, presence of comorbidities, and higher level of knowledge regarding the vaccine were significantly associated with high vaccine acceptance. The most important vaccine attributes influencing vaccine selection in the current work were efficacy and safety. Vaccine hesitancy is currently a major challenge. Governments should design educational campaigns that provide trusted data related to vaccine efficacy and safety to encourage vaccination and enhance awareness.

Parental views and the key role of nurses for high vaccine acceptance in Sweden – a focus group study

BackgroundIn Sweden, vaccine uptake is exceptionally high due to an efficient child immunization program. More than 97% of Swedish children were vaccinated at child health care centers (CHCs) according to the schedule at 2 years of age in 2021. From the age of 6 years, vaccinations are given within the school health care. Maintaining high vaccination coverage over time is one of the central motives to explore and understand drivers for vaccine acceptance. The current study aimed to assess parental vaccine acceptance concerning the national immunization program and explore factors contributing to the high vaccine acceptance in Sweden.MethodsParents of children aged 1–2 years and 8–12 years were recruited through purposive sampling and asked to participate in focus groups held in three cities in Sweden, in February and March 2019. In total, 47 parents participated in two focus groups per city, one session for parents of younger (1–2 years) and older (8–12 years) children respectively. The focus group discussions were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsParents of children aged 1–2 years expressed the themes; strong compliance to and protection of the value of vaccinations; parents feel safe with an attentive relationship with their nurse; the spectrum of communication needs is essential to meet.For parents to children aged 8–12 years, the themes expressed were; vaccinate to do good for the individual and society; a foundation of trust is built at CHCs for decisions later on; decisions for vaccination become more complex as children get older; communication changes as children get older and need to be explicit and tailored to the situation.ConclusionBoth individual and societal perspectives were shown to influence the vaccination decision for childhood immunizations, as manifested in parental reflections and experiences. As nurses have a key role, it is important to provide them with continued support and tools to facilitate their support for parents in making informed decisions. Continuous work for supporting driving factors for vaccination over time is needed to maintain high vaccine acceptance in Sweden.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women in an antenatal clinic in Durban, South Africa.

Mass administration of vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the most efficient intervention against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Recently, vaccinations were shown to be safe and effective during pregnancy. However, vaccination rates are low in low- and middle-income countries, and vaccine hesitancy is a major limiting factor. To investigate the rate of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based investigation of 313 unvaccinated pregnant women attending an antenatal clinic in Durban, South Africa (SA). The questionnaire included clinical and socio-demographic data, and reasons for vaccine hesitancy were recorded and evaluated. Of 313 women participating, 126 (40.3%) were vaccinated against COVID-19, 21/313 = 6.7%; for those unvaccinated, 21/187 (13.9%) were planning to be vaccinated. However, most unvaccinated women, 174 of 187 (93%), showed COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among pregnant women in Durban, SA, is exceptionally high. This requires urgent attention by the relevant health authorities (both professional health organisations and the SA Department of Health) as many countries experience different waves of the variants of SARS-CoV-2 and herd immunity may not have been achieved. This study showed a high vaccine acceptance hesitancy rate among pregnant women in SA.

Health workers vaccination: Experience and lessons learned from Costa Rica

ObjectiveTo describe the decision-making processes, enablers, challenges and lessons learned in Costa Rica for implementing a sustained and multi-pronged approach in health workers vaccination (HW). MethodsA retrospective descriptive analysis was conducted by searching published and grey literature, including scientific publications, legislation, decrees, policies, manuals, technical reports, and platforms used for data register and coverage monitoring. Key informants from the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) were interviewed representing national, subnational and local levels; as well as members of the National Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) and the private sector. Collected data were transcribed and categorized by the following specific topics using a thematic content analysis approach: decision making process, pre-service screening, vaccination for current HWs and engagement with the private sector. Major findings were discussed and organized into enablers, challenges and lessons learned. ResultsDecision making processes to establish the vaccination strategies and schedules in Costa Rica were based on the epidemiological trends of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) and cost analysis. Risk assessment and feasibility considerations determined that some vaccines such as hepatitis B, varicella and influenza, were first introduced in HWs and then were expanded to other target populations. These decisions were approved by the NITAG as the advisory technical advisory group of the MoH. Main enablers identified were: high level and sustained political will, decisions based on data analysis and feasibility considerations, HWs knowledge and high vaccine acceptance and demand. Challenges were related to effective coverage monitoring, and private sector engagement. ConclusionsThe Costa Rican experience provides lessons learned that can be leveraged by other countries to strengthen HWs vaccination strategies at regional and global levels.

The community acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines in Rakhine State: A cross-sectional study in Myanmar.

The global pandemic situation of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has been ongoing for more than 2 years with the emergence of different variants. With the rapid development of vaccines, countries including Myanmar rolled out vaccination programs to reduce the morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19 with the ultimate goal to end the pandemic. This study seeks to explore the acceptance of the general adult population towards the COVID-19 vaccines administered by the Ministry of Health, and barriers to vaccine acceptance. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted by adopting valid and reliable questionnaires from similar studies around the world. Simple random sampling was used to select 288 participants from 12 townships of Rakhine State, Myanmar. The interview was performed using standardized paper-based documents. While the data entry and manipulation were performed using Microsoft Excel, the data analysis process was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. As descriptive statistics, the level of vaccine acceptance, and barriers to vaccine acceptance were calculated. Chi-square analysis and bivariate logistics regression was performed to explore the associated socio-demographic characteristics, COVID-19 and vaccine-related experience, and perceptions of participants on the health belief model (HBM) domains related to vaccine acceptance. A total of 276 participants entered the study and revealed an overall vaccine acceptance level of 91.3%. Higher level of education, working in skilled manual and sales services, monthly income of more than 200,000 MMK (111 USD), history of previous vaccination, not experiencing side effects of vaccine after previous immunization, and elements of the health belief model (HBM) were associated with higher vaccine acceptance. The barriers to vaccine acceptance were mistrust of the efficacy of vaccines and potential major adverse events of COVID-19 vaccines. The high level of vaccine acceptance among the general population in Rakhine state provides an opportunity for health authorities to achieve high vaccination coverage within the community. Nevertheless, the vaccine-related education campaigns should be targeted and conveyed frequently to the sub-groups of the population with vaccine hesitancy to obtain the highest achievable level of vaccine coverage within the community for the ultimate goal to end the pandemic.

Monitoring the COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Trend and its Determinants Among Iranian Adults.

Vaccination seems to be the most critical means of halting the COVID-19 pandemic. It is crucial to understand the factors that influence COVID-19 vaccine acceptance to avoid low vaccination rates. This study intended to monitor the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and its association with socio-demographic factors and prior diagnosis of COVID-19 in Iranian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study utilized data from the COVID-19 Population Survey of Iran (COPSIR), a repeated national survey designed to monitor COVID-19-related behavioral insights. From April 2020 to November 2021, thirteen iterations of a series of cross-sectional studies involving computer-assisted telephone interviews were conducted. The COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate remained above 80% until the ninth wave in February 2021, when it dropped to 62.9%. However, throughout the next four surveys, it rose gradually from 72.0% to 85.7%. The multilevel regression model revealed that the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was significantly and positively linked with age and education. Despite the relatively high COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate among Iranian adults, after the emergence of vaccines on the global market and controversies about their safety in Iran, the initially high vaccine acceptance rate dropped significantly, and then increased over time and returned to its peak level (85%). According to the Commodity Theory, this rise in vaccine acceptance can be attributed to the COVID-19 vaccine shortage in the country between January and July 2022. For Iranian adults to accept vaccines more readily, health promotion programs should target the youth and the less literate adults.

Establishing immunogenicity and safety of needle-free intradermal delivery by nanoporous ceramic skin patch of mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine as a revaccination strategy in healthy volunteers

IntroductionNanoporous microneedle arrays (npMNA) are being developed as skin patches for vaccine delivery. As alternative for needle-based immunisation, they may potentially result in higher vaccine acceptance, which is important for future mass vaccination campaigns to control outbreaks, such as COVID-19, and for public vaccination in general. In this study we investigated the safety and immunogenicity of needle-free intradermal delivery of a fractional third or fourth dose of mRNA-1273 vaccine by npMNA. MethodsThis study was an open-label, randomised-controlled, proof-of-concept study. Healthy adults were eligible if they had received a primary immunisation series against SARS-CoV-2 with two doses of mRNA-1273 (Moderna) or BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) mRNA vaccine. A history of a COVID-19 infection or booster vaccination with mRNA-1273 or BNT162b2 was allowed if it occurred at least three months before inclusion. Participants were randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive 20 µg mRNA-1273 vaccine, either through npMNA patch applied on the skin (ID-patch group), or through intramuscular (IM) injection (IM-control group). Primary outcomes were reactogenicity up to two weeks after vaccination, and fold-increase of SARS-CoV-2 spike S1-specific IgG antibodies 14 days post-vaccination. ResultsIn April 2022, 20 participants were enroled. The geometric mean concentration (GMC) did not increase in the ID-patch group after vaccination, in contrast to the IM-control group (GMC was 1,006 BAU/mL (95% CI 599–1,689), 3,855 (2,800–5,306), and 3,513 (2,554–4,833) at day 1, 15 and 29, respectively). In addition, SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses were lower after ID vaccination through npMNA. ConclusionNeedle-free delivery of 20 µg mRNA-1273 vaccine by npMNA failed to induce antibody and T cell responses. As this is a potentially very useful vaccination method, it is important to determine which adjustments are needed to make this npMNA successful. Clinical trial registry (on ClinicalTrial.gov)NCT05315362.

Barriers and facilitators to hepatitis B birth dose vaccination: Perspectives from healthcare providers and pregnant women accessing antenatal care in Nigeria.

Nigeria is estimated to have the largest number of children worldwide, living with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the leading cause of liver cancer. Up to 90% of children infected at birth develop chronic HBV infection. A birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine (HepB-BD) followed by at least two additional vaccine doses is recommended for prevention. This study assessed barriers and facilitators of HepB-BD administration and uptake, using structured interviews with healthcare providers and pregnant women in Adamawa and Enugu States, Nigeria. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Sciences Research (CFIR) guided data collection and analysis. We interviewed 87 key informants (40 healthcare providers and 47 pregnant women) and created a codebook for data analysis. Codes were developed by reviewing the literature and reading a subsample of queries line-by-line. The overarching themes identified as barriers among healthcare providers were: the lack of hepatitis B knowledge, limited availability of HepB-BD to vaccination days only, misconceptions about HepB-BD vaccination, challenges in health facility staffing capacity, costs associated with vaccine transportation, and concerns related to vaccine wastage. Facilitators of timely HepB-BD vaccination included: vaccine availability, storage, and hospital births occurring during immunization days. Overarching themes identified as barriers among pregnant women were lack of hepatitis B knowledge, limited understanding of HepB-BD importance, and limited access to vaccines for births occurring outside of a health facility. Facilitators were high vaccine acceptance and willingness for their infants to receive HepB-BD if recommended by providers. Findings indicate the need for enhanced HepB-BD vaccination training for HCWs, educating pregnant women on HBV and the importance of timely HepB-BD, updating policies to enable HepB-BD administration within 24 hours of birth, expanding HepB-BD availability in public and private hospital maternity wards for all facility births, and outreach activities to reach home births.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and related behavioral and psychological characteristics in individuals with mental disorders in Korea.

This study aimed to investigate COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and related factors in individuals with mental disorders in Korea. We surveyed 572 individuals with mental disorders about their attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination using a 7-item self-rating questionnaire on vaccine acceptance and hesitancy. We categorized the respondents into groups based on their level of vaccine acceptance using hierarchical clustering. In addition, we evaluated the respondents' vaccination status and trust in sources of information regarding COVID-19 vaccines, and assessed their psychological characteristics using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Gratitude Questionnaire-6, and Big Five Inventory-10. Clustering revealed three groups according to vaccine acceptance: 'totally accepting' (n= 246, 43.0%), 'somewhat accepting' (n= 184, 32.2%), and 'hesitant' (n= 142, 24.8%) groups. Three quarters of all participants, who belonged to the 'totally accepting' or 'somewhat accepting' groups, were willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine despite concerns about its side effects. Individuals in the high vaccine acceptance group were older (F= 12.52, p< 0.001), more likely to receive the influenza vaccine regularly, and more likely to trust formal information sources. Additionally, they had higher levels of gratitude (F= 21.00, p< 0.001) and agreeableness (F= 4.50, p= 0.011), and lower levels of depression (χ2= 11.81, p= 0.003) and neuroticism (F= 3.71, p= 0.025). The present study demonstrated that individuals with mental disorders were generally willing to receive COVID-19 vaccination. However, they weighed its need and effectiveness against potential side effects before coming to a decision. It is important to understand the behavioral and psychological characteristics associated with vaccine acceptance, to effectively communicate its importance to individuals with mental disorders.

Predictors of receiving COVID-19 vaccine among adult population in Iran: an observational study

BackgroundVaccination is one of the best ways to stop the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this regard, uunderstanding the features related to the intention of different populations to receive the COVID-19 vaccine is essential for an effective vaccination program. This study aimed to investigate the vaccination intention predictors in the general adult population of Iran.MethodsA cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted on social networks, including Telegram, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to investigate predictors associated with the intention to receive COVID-19 vaccines, including sociodemographic characteristics, trust, worry, sources of information, and conspiracy beliefs. The main outcomes included unwillingness, undecidedness, and intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.ResultsOut of 780 respondents, 481 (61.6%) reported an intention to be vaccinated, 214 (27.4%) expressed their undecided status, and 85 (10.9%) reported unwillingness to receive any type of COVID-19 vaccine. A higher age (OR undecided = 0.97, 95% CI (0.96–0.99)), (OR unwilling = 0.97, 95% CI (0.95–0.99)); exposure with COVID-19 (OR unwilling = 0.82, 95% CI (0.76–0.89)), (OR undecided = 0.87, 95% CI (0.83–0.93)) were positively associated with vaccination intentions. No/low trust in vaccines, institutions, concerns about the future of the pandemic, and conspiracy beliefs were strongly and negatively associated with COVID-19 vaccination intentions.ConclusionMost Iranians intended to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Higher vaccine acceptance needs to consider demographic features, exposure history, confidence in vaccines, trust in institutions, concerns, and conspiracy beliefs of people.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and its drivers among Pakistani population.

COVID-19 vaccine has become available within a record time but mere availability will not control the pandemic. High vaccine acceptance is required. The objective was to determine COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and its associated factors among Pakistani population. An online survey using google form, was conducted from January 31st to February 9th, 2021 before the start of the mass vaccination in Pakistan. The questionnaire had questions about demographics plus vaccine hesitancy. We received a total of 1156 responses. Data was analyzed using STATA version 14. We employed descriptive statistics and chi square test. A total of 1156 responses were received. 65% were male and 35% female. Only 6% were uneducated. Thirty percent had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier. Forty-six percent of the respondents would take (acceptance) a vaccine if available. Forty-eight percent and 45% were confident in using USA/UK and Chinese vaccine respectively. Gender and marital status was statistically significantly associated with vaccine acceptance. Concerns about the side effects were 55% while for efficacy it was 69%. Twenty-three percent were concerned about the permissibility of the vaccine on religious grounds. Gender and marital status was significantly associated with vaccine acceptance. Forty-six percent respondents were willing to take the vaccine. Among the vaccine hesitant group, respondents were worried about the side effects, safety and religious permissibility of vaccine. Policy makers and all the relevant stakeholders should consider low vaccine acceptance as a major bottleneck and should devise strategies to address this major issue in the fight against COVID-19.

Attitudes and knowledge about HPV vaccination among Ghanaian women with cervical cancer

AbstractObjectiveTo explore knowledge about the human papillomavirus (HPV), HPV vaccination, barriers to vaccination and acceptance of the HPV vaccine in the highest‐risk and most‐impacted population in Ghana.MethodsA survey was administered to 100 women with histologically confirmed cervical cancer at a teaching hospital in Ghana.ResultsParticipants had a mean age of 59 (±14.3) years, 65.0% had a parity of five or higher and 89.0% had a monthly income less than 500 Ghana cedis ($63 USD). Seventy‐nine percent of participants had a diagnosis of stage III or greater cervical cancer. Only 8.0% had heard of HPV and 4.0% knew that HPV caused cervical cancer. Fifty‐five percent had not heard of vaccines, in general; of the remainder, the majority endorsed that vaccines, in general, were effective (89.0%) and safe (95.0%). No participants had received the HPV vaccine. After a brief education session, 94% believed the HPV vaccine was effective and 65.0% were categorised as having ‘high vaccine acceptance’ after responding ‘definitely yes’ to recommending the HPV vaccine to female relatives, male relatives and the community. There were no significant differences in demographic variables or cervical cancer disease characteristics between the ‘high vaccine acceptance’ and ‘some vaccine hesitancy’ groups.ConclusionAlthough women with cervical cancer in Ghana have low awareness of HPV and HPV vaccination, they demonstrate high vaccine acceptability and low hesitancy.

Psychological and Personality Characteristics Associated With COVID-19 Vaccination Behavior in Korean General Population.

This study characterized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination behavior in the Korean general population using cluster analysis and explored related psychological factors. We categorized 1,500 individuals based on their attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination using hierarchical clustering and identified their level of vaccine acceptance. We examined the associations between vaccine acceptance and behavioral and psychological characteristics. Clustering revealed three groups according to vaccine acceptance: 'totally accepting' (n = 354, 23.6%), 'somewhat accepting' (n = 523, 34.9%), and 'reluctant' (n = 623, 41.5%). Approximately 60% of all participants who belonged to the 'totally accepting' and 'somewhat accepting' groups were willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine despite concerns about its side effects. High vaccine acceptance was associated with older age, regular influenza vaccination, and trust in formal sources of information. Participants with high vaccine acceptance had higher levels of gratitude, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, and lower levels of depression, anxiety, and neuroticism. People weighed the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination against the risk of side effects when deciding to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Our findings also indicate that this vaccination behavior may be affected by coping mechanisms and psychological factors.

Abstract A125: Vaccine hesitancy: Can we convince the unvaccinated to vaccinate?

Abstract Background: Vaccine hesitancy is defined as “delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccination despite the availability of vaccination services”. When individuals choose not to get vaccinated, efforts to control the spread of the disease are hindered. Despite scientific evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, one in four adults in the United States is not fully vaccinated. However, some individuals, despite being previously vaccine-hesitant got the COVID-19 vaccine and vice versa, leading to an intention-behavior gap. In this study, we ask an important question: What socio-demographic, psychological, ideological, and communication-related factors can contribute to the vaccination-related intention-behavior gap? An understanding of these factors can also help create communication strategies to encourage the vaccine-hesitant to get vaccinated, especially in populations where there are greater vaccine disparities. Methods: This longitudinal study uses two nationally representative surveys of Americans from 2020 and 2021 to determine the factors that contribute to COVID-19 vaccination-related intention-behavior gap and overcome vaccine hesitancy, using multivariable logistic regression. Results: The results indicated that 51% of previously vaccine-hesitant individuals were vaccinated against COVID-19, and only 14% of previously pro-vaccine individuals remained unvaccinated. Some factors associated with a higher likelihood of vaccine-hesitant individuals getting vaccinated were high perceptions of risk, high vaccine acceptance, being informed about the vaccines, endorsing less COVID-19 misinformation, having confidence in scientists, being over 60 years old, and being female. Alternatively, some factors associated with a lower likelihood of pro-vaccine individuals not getting vaccinated were high perceptions of risk, high vaccine acceptance, being informed about the vaccines, identifying as a Republican, having confidence in scientists, having access to healthcare, and having higher education. Conclusions: The study indicates that it is possible to convince the vaccine-hesitant individuals to get vaccinated as well as prevent the pro-vaccine individuals from realizing their vaccination intentions. Developing evidence-based persuasive and targeted communication strategies can help convince the unvaccinated and increase the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. Targeted communication strategies can also help reduce disparities among populations that have lower vaccination rates. Moreover, such strategies may also be useful to increase the uptake of other vaccines such as human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines to lower the rates of HPV-attributable cancers in the United States. Citation Format: Dhriti Dhawan, Mesfin Awoke Bekalu, Ramya Pinnamaneni, Rachel McCloud, Kasisomayajula Viswanath. Vaccine hesitancy: Can we convince the unvaccinated to vaccinate? [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A125.