COVID vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population and its determinants: A community-based study at berhampore block of Murshidabad District, West Bengal

Background: On January 16, 2021, India rolled out the COVID vaccination drive. A successful and effective vaccination campaign requires much more than the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. This includes identifying vulnerable populations with lower vaccine confidence and identifying the...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Arnab Sarkar, Anirban Dalui, Paramita Sarkar, Manisha Das, Rivu Basu, Jadab Chandra Sardar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2023-01-01
Series:Indian Journal of Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijph.in/article.asp?issn=0019-557X;year=2023;volume=67;issue=1;spage=21;epage=27;aulast=Sarkar
_version_ 1797824238986461184
author Arnab Sarkar
Anirban Dalui
Paramita Sarkar
Manisha Das
Rivu Basu
Jadab Chandra Sardar
author_facet Arnab Sarkar
Anirban Dalui
Paramita Sarkar
Manisha Das
Rivu Basu
Jadab Chandra Sardar
author_sort Arnab Sarkar
collection DOAJ
description Background: On January 16, 2021, India rolled out the COVID vaccination drive. A successful and effective vaccination campaign requires much more than the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. This includes identifying vulnerable populations with lower vaccine confidence and identifying the drivers of vaccine hesitancy. Objective: This study aims to find out vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population regarding COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: It was an observational descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted at Manindranagar and Hatinagar gram panchayat of Berhampore Block of Murshidabad district, West Bengal, from June 2021–November 2021, among tribal people aged >18 years. A total of 198 tribal people were selected by applying the probability proportional to size sampling method. Participants were interviewed using predesigned, pretested, and semi-structured schedules. Potential predictors of hesitancy were investigated using the multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Vaccine hesitancy was present among 36.9% of the study participants. Fear of side effects (78.1%) was the most common reason of vaccine hesitancy. Only 30.8% of them received at least one dose of vaccine. Vaccine hesitancy was associated with decreased family income in the last 1 year (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 8.23), knowledge regarding vaccine (AOR = 0.41), adherence to COVID-appropriate behavior (AOR = 0.45), and trust on the local health-care worker (AOR = 0.32). Conclusion: Vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population is driven by a lack of knowledge and awareness. Their economic status, attitudes toward the health system, and accessibility factors may also play a major role in vaccine hesitancy. Extensive information, education, and communication activity, more involvement of health-care workers in the awareness campaign, and establishment of vaccination centers in tribal villages may be helpful.
first_indexed 2024-03-13T10:35:58Z
format Article
id doaj.art-5fba5f44b5b04dd7b2e39d7c06406371
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 0019-557X
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-13T10:35:58Z
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series Indian Journal of Public Health
spelling doaj.art-5fba5f44b5b04dd7b2e39d7c064063712023-05-18T06:13:08ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndian Journal of Public Health0019-557X2023-01-01671212710.4103/ijph.ijph_130_22COVID vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population and its determinants: A community-based study at berhampore block of Murshidabad District, West BengalArnab SarkarAnirban DaluiParamita SarkarManisha DasRivu BasuJadab Chandra SardarBackground: On January 16, 2021, India rolled out the COVID vaccination drive. A successful and effective vaccination campaign requires much more than the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. This includes identifying vulnerable populations with lower vaccine confidence and identifying the drivers of vaccine hesitancy. Objective: This study aims to find out vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population regarding COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: It was an observational descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted at Manindranagar and Hatinagar gram panchayat of Berhampore Block of Murshidabad district, West Bengal, from June 2021–November 2021, among tribal people aged >18 years. A total of 198 tribal people were selected by applying the probability proportional to size sampling method. Participants were interviewed using predesigned, pretested, and semi-structured schedules. Potential predictors of hesitancy were investigated using the multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Vaccine hesitancy was present among 36.9% of the study participants. Fear of side effects (78.1%) was the most common reason of vaccine hesitancy. Only 30.8% of them received at least one dose of vaccine. Vaccine hesitancy was associated with decreased family income in the last 1 year (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 8.23), knowledge regarding vaccine (AOR = 0.41), adherence to COVID-appropriate behavior (AOR = 0.45), and trust on the local health-care worker (AOR = 0.32). Conclusion: Vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population is driven by a lack of knowledge and awareness. Their economic status, attitudes toward the health system, and accessibility factors may also play a major role in vaccine hesitancy. Extensive information, education, and communication activity, more involvement of health-care workers in the awareness campaign, and establishment of vaccination centers in tribal villages may be helpful.http://www.ijph.in/article.asp?issn=0019-557X;year=2023;volume=67;issue=1;spage=21;epage=27;aulast=Sarkarcovid-19indiatribalvaccination hesitancyvulnerable populations
spellingShingle Arnab Sarkar
Anirban Dalui
Paramita Sarkar
Manisha Das
Rivu Basu
Jadab Chandra Sardar
COVID vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population and its determinants: A community-based study at berhampore block of Murshidabad District, West Bengal
Indian Journal of Public Health
covid-19
india
tribal
vaccination hesitancy
vulnerable populations
title COVID vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population and its determinants: A community-based study at berhampore block of Murshidabad District, West Bengal
title_full COVID vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population and its determinants: A community-based study at berhampore block of Murshidabad District, West Bengal
title_fullStr COVID vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population and its determinants: A community-based study at berhampore block of Murshidabad District, West Bengal
title_full_unstemmed COVID vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population and its determinants: A community-based study at berhampore block of Murshidabad District, West Bengal
title_short COVID vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population and its determinants: A community-based study at berhampore block of Murshidabad District, West Bengal
title_sort covid vaccine hesitancy among the tribal population and its determinants a community based study at berhampore block of murshidabad district west bengal
topic covid-19
india
tribal
vaccination hesitancy
vulnerable populations
url http://www.ijph.in/article.asp?issn=0019-557X;year=2023;volume=67;issue=1;spage=21;epage=27;aulast=Sarkar
work_keys_str_mv AT arnabsarkar covidvaccinehesitancyamongthetribalpopulationanditsdeterminantsacommunitybasedstudyatberhamporeblockofmurshidabaddistrictwestbengal
AT anirbandalui covidvaccinehesitancyamongthetribalpopulationanditsdeterminantsacommunitybasedstudyatberhamporeblockofmurshidabaddistrictwestbengal
AT paramitasarkar covidvaccinehesitancyamongthetribalpopulationanditsdeterminantsacommunitybasedstudyatberhamporeblockofmurshidabaddistrictwestbengal
AT manishadas covidvaccinehesitancyamongthetribalpopulationanditsdeterminantsacommunitybasedstudyatberhamporeblockofmurshidabaddistrictwestbengal
AT rivubasu covidvaccinehesitancyamongthetribalpopulationanditsdeterminantsacommunitybasedstudyatberhamporeblockofmurshidabaddistrictwestbengal
AT jadabchandrasardar covidvaccinehesitancyamongthetribalpopulationanditsdeterminantsacommunitybasedstudyatberhamporeblockofmurshidabaddistrictwestbengal