Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccine in Pakistan Among Health Care Workers
Open Access
- 24 February 2021
- preprint content
- research article
- Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Abstract
Objective: Acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine will impart a pivotal role in eradicating the virus. In Pakistan, health care workers (HCWs) are the first group to receive vaccination. This survey aimed at the level of acceptance to the COVID-19 vaccine and predictors of non-acceptance in HCWs.Method: This was a cross-sectional study design and data were collected through 3rd December 2020 and February 14th, 2021. An English questionnaire was distributed through social media platforms and administration of affiliate hospitals along with snowball sampling for private hospitals.Results: Out of 5,237 responses, 3,679 (70.2%) accepted COVID-19 vaccination and 1,284 (24.5%) wanted to delay until more data was available. Only 5.2% of HCWs rejected being vaccinated. Vaccine acceptance was more in young (76%) and female gender (63.3%) who worked in a tertiary care hospital (51.2%) and were direct patient care providers (61.3%). The reason for rejection in females was doubtful vaccine effectiveness (31.48%) while males rejected due to prior COVID-19 exposure (42.19%) and side effect profile of the vaccine (33.17%). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated age between 51-60 years, female gender, Pashtuns, those working in the specialty of medicine and allied, taking direct care of COVID-19 patients, higher education, and prior OCVID-19 infection as the predictors for acceptance or rejection of COVID-19 vaccine.Conclusion: A high overall acceptance rate was observed among HCWs, favoring a successful nationwide vaccination program in Pakistan.Keywords
This publication has 21 references indexed in Scilit:
- Attitudes Toward a Potential SARS-CoV-2 VaccineAnnals of Internal Medicine, 2020
- COVID-19 and Vaccine HesitancyThe Journal of Ambulatory Care Management, 2020
- Acceptability of Vaccination Against COVID-19 Among Healthcare Workers in the Democratic Republic of the CongoPragmatic and Observational Research, 2020
- Acceptance of a COVID-19 Vaccine in Southeast Asia: A Cross-Sectional Study in IndonesiaFrontiers in Public Health, 2020
- Progress of COVID-19 Epidemic in PakistanAsia-Pacific journal of public health, 2020
- Clinical, laboratory and imaging features of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysisTravel Medicine and Infectious Disease, 2020
- Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, ChinaThe Lancet, 2020
- Vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers in Europe: A qualitative studyVaccine, 2016
- Diagnosing the determinants of vaccine hesitancy in specific subgroups: The Guide to Tailoring Immunization Programmes (TIP)Vaccine, 2015
- Refusal of oral polio vaccine in northwestern Pakistan: A qualitative and quantitative studyVaccine, 2014