AWARENESS, PERCEPTIONS AND ACCEPTABILITY OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE IN BUGIRI DISTRICT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.
Background: Globally, COVID-19 vaccine uptake has been hampered by misperceptions and conspiracy theories. We investigated people’s awareness, perceptions, and acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine in Bugiri district. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among COVID-19 unvaccinated a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Student's Journal of Health Research
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Student's Journal of Health Research Africa |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sjhresearchafrica.org/index.php/public-html/article/view/522 |
| _version_ | 1797682687182372864 |
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| author | SOLOMON WAMBI ALEX MUKEMBO Joseph KB Matovu |
| author_facet | SOLOMON WAMBI ALEX MUKEMBO Joseph KB Matovu |
| author_sort | SOLOMON WAMBI |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Background:
Globally, COVID-19 vaccine uptake has been hampered by misperceptions and conspiracy theories. We investigated people’s awareness, perceptions, and acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine in Bugiri district.
Methods:
This was a cross-sectional study among COVID-19 unvaccinated adults aged 18 and above. Data were collected in October and November 2021. Data were collected on people’s awareness, perceptions, and willingness to accept the vaccine if availed freely. ‘Acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine’ denoted people’s willingness to accept to take the vaccine if offered to them free of charge. We used an interviewer-administered, pilot-tested, structured questionnaire loaded on a mobile phone to collect data from 465 respondents. Data were analyzed using STATA version 15.0.
Results:
Of 465 respondents, 59.05% (n=274) were aged 18-35 years; 52.80% (n=245) were male; 68.97% (n=320) were married; while 68.75% (n=319) attained primary education. Overall, awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine was nearly universal (95.04%, n=441), with no marked difference between males and females. We found favorable perceptions towards the COVID-19 vaccine, with slightly more than three-quarters (76.72%, n=356) agreeing with the statement that people should be willingly vaccinated against COVID-19. When asked about their willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine, 60.78% (n=282) reported that they would be willing to accept the vaccine if it was to be given to them free of charge, with a higher of males (75.80%, n=166) indicating that they would be willing to accept the vaccine than their female counterparts (60%, n=147).
Conclusion:
Awareness was nearly universal and respondents had favorable perceptions towards the COVID-19 vaccine. Only six in ten participants would accept the COVID-19 vaccine if availed to them free of charge. Findings suggest increased access to improve uptake.
Recommendation:
Our study findings suggest efforts should be geared towards increasing access to vaccines while reducing associated costs in order to improve acceptance.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:03:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-962de698b30d4147b066b63a6a9e7277 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2709-9997 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:03:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Student's Journal of Health Research |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Student's Journal of Health Research Africa |
| spelling | doaj.art-962de698b30d4147b066b63a6a9e72772023-09-17T07:10:06ZengStudent's Journal of Health ResearchStudent's Journal of Health Research Africa2709-99972023-09-014910.51168/sjhrafrica.v4i9.522AWARENESS, PERCEPTIONS AND ACCEPTABILITY OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE IN BUGIRI DISTRICT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.SOLOMON WAMBI0ALEX MUKEMBO1Joseph KB Matovu2MAKERERE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTHWORLD VISION -UGANDADepartment of Disease Control and Environmental Health, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda. Background: Globally, COVID-19 vaccine uptake has been hampered by misperceptions and conspiracy theories. We investigated people’s awareness, perceptions, and acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine in Bugiri district. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among COVID-19 unvaccinated adults aged 18 and above. Data were collected in October and November 2021. Data were collected on people’s awareness, perceptions, and willingness to accept the vaccine if availed freely. ‘Acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine’ denoted people’s willingness to accept to take the vaccine if offered to them free of charge. We used an interviewer-administered, pilot-tested, structured questionnaire loaded on a mobile phone to collect data from 465 respondents. Data were analyzed using STATA version 15.0. Results: Of 465 respondents, 59.05% (n=274) were aged 18-35 years; 52.80% (n=245) were male; 68.97% (n=320) were married; while 68.75% (n=319) attained primary education. Overall, awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine was nearly universal (95.04%, n=441), with no marked difference between males and females. We found favorable perceptions towards the COVID-19 vaccine, with slightly more than three-quarters (76.72%, n=356) agreeing with the statement that people should be willingly vaccinated against COVID-19. When asked about their willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine, 60.78% (n=282) reported that they would be willing to accept the vaccine if it was to be given to them free of charge, with a higher of males (75.80%, n=166) indicating that they would be willing to accept the vaccine than their female counterparts (60%, n=147). Conclusion: Awareness was nearly universal and respondents had favorable perceptions towards the COVID-19 vaccine. Only six in ten participants would accept the COVID-19 vaccine if availed to them free of charge. Findings suggest increased access to improve uptake. Recommendation: Our study findings suggest efforts should be geared towards increasing access to vaccines while reducing associated costs in order to improve acceptance. https://sjhresearchafrica.org/index.php/public-html/article/view/522AwarenessperceptionsHypothetical AcceptabilityCOVID-19 Vaccine |
| spellingShingle | SOLOMON WAMBI ALEX MUKEMBO Joseph KB Matovu AWARENESS, PERCEPTIONS AND ACCEPTABILITY OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE IN BUGIRI DISTRICT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY. Student's Journal of Health Research Africa Awareness perceptions Hypothetical Acceptability COVID-19 Vaccine |
| title | AWARENESS, PERCEPTIONS AND ACCEPTABILITY OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE IN BUGIRI DISTRICT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY. |
| title_full | AWARENESS, PERCEPTIONS AND ACCEPTABILITY OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE IN BUGIRI DISTRICT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY. |
| title_fullStr | AWARENESS, PERCEPTIONS AND ACCEPTABILITY OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE IN BUGIRI DISTRICT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY. |
| title_full_unstemmed | AWARENESS, PERCEPTIONS AND ACCEPTABILITY OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE IN BUGIRI DISTRICT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY. |
| title_short | AWARENESS, PERCEPTIONS AND ACCEPTABILITY OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE IN BUGIRI DISTRICT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY. |
| title_sort | awareness perceptions and acceptability of the covid 19 vaccine in bugiri district a cross sectional study |
| topic | Awareness perceptions Hypothetical Acceptability COVID-19 Vaccine |
| url | https://sjhresearchafrica.org/index.php/public-html/article/view/522 |
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