Qatar Healthcare Workers' COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Attitudes: A National Cross-Sectional Survey
Introduction: Healthcare workers are the critical frontline workforce of the COVD-19 pandemic and are considered a target group for vaccination. Hesitancy to vaccinate is a major concern that can jeopardize the vaccination programme. The hesitancy rates in the general population and healthcare worke...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.727748/full |
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| author | Rajeev Kumar Rajeev Kumar Majid Alabdulla Majid Alabdulla Nahid M. Elhassan Shuja Mohd Reagu Shuja Mohd Reagu |
| author_facet | Rajeev Kumar Rajeev Kumar Majid Alabdulla Majid Alabdulla Nahid M. Elhassan Shuja Mohd Reagu Shuja Mohd Reagu |
| author_sort | Rajeev Kumar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Healthcare workers are the critical frontline workforce of the COVD-19 pandemic and are considered a target group for vaccination. Hesitancy to vaccinate is a major concern that can jeopardize the vaccination programme. The hesitancy rates in the general population and healthcare workers (HCWs) vary globally, and more importantly, hesitancy in HCWs is of particular concern, as it can influence the wider population.Materials and Methods: The present study evaluated the vaccine hesitancy rate and its sociodemographic and attitudinal factors among the HCWs in the state of Qatar. We conducted a national cross-sectional survey using a validated hesitancy measurement tool between October 15 and November 15, 2020. A total of 7,821 adults above the age of 18 years out of the 2.3 million adult Qatari residents completed the survey. While majority of the participants were from the general public, 1,546 participants were HCWs. Sociodemographic data, along with attitudes and beliefs around COVID-19 vaccination, were collected from the respondents.Results: We found that 12.9% of the study participants showed vaccine hesitancy, defined as definitely or probably will not take the vaccine if offered, and 25.31% reported that they were unsure about the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine. Female respondents were more hesitant toward the vaccine. Safety and efficacy concerns of vaccine were the significant predictors of vaccine hesitancy. The primary predictor for vaccine acceptance was a better understanding of the disease and vaccine.Discussion: Overall, 1 in 8 HCWs were reluctant to get vaccinated against COVID-19, mainly due to concerns about the vaccine's efficacy and safety. Education about the vaccine's safety and efficacy can potentially improve acceptance among healthcare workers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T10:31:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c14064c8d3c14c96bad0c25ea52420d8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T10:31:48Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-c14064c8d3c14c96bad0c25ea52420d82022-12-21T18:29:19ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652021-08-01910.3389/fpubh.2021.727748727748Qatar Healthcare Workers' COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Attitudes: A National Cross-Sectional SurveyRajeev Kumar0Rajeev Kumar1Majid Alabdulla2Majid Alabdulla3Nahid M. Elhassan4Shuja Mohd Reagu5Shuja Mohd Reagu6Department of Psychiatry, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarCollege of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, QatarDepartment of Psychiatry, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarCollege of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, QatarDepartment of Psychiatry, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarDepartment of Psychiatry, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarWeill Cornell Medicine- Qatar, Doha, QatarIntroduction: Healthcare workers are the critical frontline workforce of the COVD-19 pandemic and are considered a target group for vaccination. Hesitancy to vaccinate is a major concern that can jeopardize the vaccination programme. The hesitancy rates in the general population and healthcare workers (HCWs) vary globally, and more importantly, hesitancy in HCWs is of particular concern, as it can influence the wider population.Materials and Methods: The present study evaluated the vaccine hesitancy rate and its sociodemographic and attitudinal factors among the HCWs in the state of Qatar. We conducted a national cross-sectional survey using a validated hesitancy measurement tool between October 15 and November 15, 2020. A total of 7,821 adults above the age of 18 years out of the 2.3 million adult Qatari residents completed the survey. While majority of the participants were from the general public, 1,546 participants were HCWs. Sociodemographic data, along with attitudes and beliefs around COVID-19 vaccination, were collected from the respondents.Results: We found that 12.9% of the study participants showed vaccine hesitancy, defined as definitely or probably will not take the vaccine if offered, and 25.31% reported that they were unsure about the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine. Female respondents were more hesitant toward the vaccine. Safety and efficacy concerns of vaccine were the significant predictors of vaccine hesitancy. The primary predictor for vaccine acceptance was a better understanding of the disease and vaccine.Discussion: Overall, 1 in 8 HCWs were reluctant to get vaccinated against COVID-19, mainly due to concerns about the vaccine's efficacy and safety. Education about the vaccine's safety and efficacy can potentially improve acceptance among healthcare workers.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.727748/fullCOVID-19 vaccinehesitancyhealthcare workerssafetyefficacyVAX scale |
| spellingShingle | Rajeev Kumar Rajeev Kumar Majid Alabdulla Majid Alabdulla Nahid M. Elhassan Shuja Mohd Reagu Shuja Mohd Reagu Qatar Healthcare Workers' COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Attitudes: A National Cross-Sectional Survey Frontiers in Public Health COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy healthcare workers safety efficacy VAX scale |
| title | Qatar Healthcare Workers' COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Attitudes: A National Cross-Sectional Survey |
| title_full | Qatar Healthcare Workers' COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Attitudes: A National Cross-Sectional Survey |
| title_fullStr | Qatar Healthcare Workers' COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Attitudes: A National Cross-Sectional Survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Qatar Healthcare Workers' COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Attitudes: A National Cross-Sectional Survey |
| title_short | Qatar Healthcare Workers' COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Attitudes: A National Cross-Sectional Survey |
| title_sort | qatar healthcare workers covid 19 vaccine hesitancy and attitudes a national cross sectional survey |
| topic | COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy healthcare workers safety efficacy VAX scale |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2021.727748/full |
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