Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South Africa
Healthcare workers (HCWs) were the first population group offered coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in South Africa because they were considered to be at higher risk of infection and required protecting as they were a critical resource to the health system. In some contexts, vaccine uptak...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/2/414 |
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| author | Gavin George Phiwe Babalo Nota Michael Strauss Emma Lansdell Remco Peters Petra Brysiewicz Nisha Nadesan-Reddy Douglas Wassenaar |
| author_facet | Gavin George Phiwe Babalo Nota Michael Strauss Emma Lansdell Remco Peters Petra Brysiewicz Nisha Nadesan-Reddy Douglas Wassenaar |
| author_sort | Gavin George |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Healthcare workers (HCWs) were the first population group offered coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in South Africa because they were considered to be at higher risk of infection and required protecting as they were a critical resource to the health system. In some contexts, vaccine uptake among HCWs has been slow, with several studies citing persistent concerns about vaccine safety and effectiveness. This study aimed to determine vaccine uptake among HCWs in South Africa whilst identifying what drives vaccine hesitancy among HCWs. We adopted a multimethod approach, utilising both a survey and in-depth interviews amongst a sample of HCWs in South Africa. In a sample of 7763 HCWS, 89% were vaccinated, with hesitancy highest among younger HCWs, males, and those working in the private sector. Among those who were hesitant, consistent with the literature, HCWs raised concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. Examining this further, our data revealed that safety and effectiveness concerns were formed due to first-hand witnessing of patients presenting with side-effects, concern over perceived lack of scientific rigor in developing the vaccine, confidence in the body’s immune system to stave off serious illness, and both a general lack of information and distrust in the available sources of information. This study, through discursive narratives, provides evidence elucidating what drives safety and effectiveness concerns raised by HCWs. These concerns will need to be addressed if HCWs are to effectively communicate and influence public behaviour. HCWs are key role players in the national COVID-19 vaccination programme, making it critical for this workforce to be well trained, knowledgeable, and confident if they are going to improve the uptake of vaccines among the general population in South Africa, which currently remains suboptimal. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:02:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ad4da7fdfb514508bdc9930c24ace37d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:02:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-ad4da7fdfb514508bdc9930c24ace37d2023-11-16T23:44:03ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2023-02-0111241410.3390/vaccines11020414Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South AfricaGavin George0Phiwe Babalo Nota1Michael Strauss2Emma Lansdell3Remco Peters4Petra Brysiewicz5Nisha Nadesan-Reddy6Douglas Wassenaar7Health Economics and HIV and AIDS Research Division (HEARD), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaHealth Economics and HIV and AIDS Research Division (HEARD), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaHealth Economics and HIV and AIDS Research Division (HEARD), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaHealth Economics and HIV and AIDS Research Division (HEARD), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaResearch Unit, Foundation for Professional Development, East London 5241, South AfricaSchool of Nursing & Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaSchool of Nursing & Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaSouth African Research Ethics Training Initiative, School of Applied Human Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South AfricaHealthcare workers (HCWs) were the first population group offered coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in South Africa because they were considered to be at higher risk of infection and required protecting as they were a critical resource to the health system. In some contexts, vaccine uptake among HCWs has been slow, with several studies citing persistent concerns about vaccine safety and effectiveness. This study aimed to determine vaccine uptake among HCWs in South Africa whilst identifying what drives vaccine hesitancy among HCWs. We adopted a multimethod approach, utilising both a survey and in-depth interviews amongst a sample of HCWs in South Africa. In a sample of 7763 HCWS, 89% were vaccinated, with hesitancy highest among younger HCWs, males, and those working in the private sector. Among those who were hesitant, consistent with the literature, HCWs raised concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. Examining this further, our data revealed that safety and effectiveness concerns were formed due to first-hand witnessing of patients presenting with side-effects, concern over perceived lack of scientific rigor in developing the vaccine, confidence in the body’s immune system to stave off serious illness, and both a general lack of information and distrust in the available sources of information. This study, through discursive narratives, provides evidence elucidating what drives safety and effectiveness concerns raised by HCWs. These concerns will need to be addressed if HCWs are to effectively communicate and influence public behaviour. HCWs are key role players in the national COVID-19 vaccination programme, making it critical for this workforce to be well trained, knowledgeable, and confident if they are going to improve the uptake of vaccines among the general population in South Africa, which currently remains suboptimal.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/2/414healthcare workersvaccine hesitancySouth AfricaCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Gavin George Phiwe Babalo Nota Michael Strauss Emma Lansdell Remco Peters Petra Brysiewicz Nisha Nadesan-Reddy Douglas Wassenaar Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South Africa Vaccines healthcare workers vaccine hesitancy South Africa COVID-19 |
| title | Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South Africa |
| title_full | Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South Africa |
| title_short | Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South Africa |
| title_sort | understanding covid 19 vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers in south africa |
| topic | healthcare workers vaccine hesitancy South Africa COVID-19 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/2/414 |
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