The Role of Medication Beliefs in COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Uptake in Healthcare Workers: An Exploratory Study
Illness and medication beliefs have shown to predict COVID-19 vaccination behaviour in the general population, but this relationship has yet to be demonstrated in healthcare staff. This research aimed to explore the potential explanatory value of illness and medication beliefs on the COVID-19 vaccin...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/13/1967 |
| _version_ | 1797591659575246848 |
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| author | Carys Dale Catherine Heidi Seage Rhiannon Phillips Delyth James |
| author_facet | Carys Dale Catherine Heidi Seage Rhiannon Phillips Delyth James |
| author_sort | Carys Dale |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Illness and medication beliefs have shown to predict COVID-19 vaccination behaviour in the general population, but this relationship has yet to be demonstrated in healthcare staff. This research aimed to explore the potential explanatory value of illness and medication beliefs on the COVID-19 vaccination uptake of a sample of patient-facing healthcare workers (HCWs). A web-based questionnaire—measuring beliefs about vaccinations (the BMQ), perceptions of COVID-19 (the BIPQ), vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine uptake—was targeted to HCWs via social media platforms between May–July 2022. Open text responses allowed participants to provide explanations for any delay in vaccine uptake. A total of 91 participants completed the questionnaire. Most respondents (77.1%, <i>n</i> = 64) had received three doses of the COVID-19 vaccination, and vaccination uptake (number of doses received) was predicted by Vaccine Concerns, Vaccine Hesitancy, and their Necessity–Concerns Differential score. Vaccine Hesitancy was predicted by Necessity, Concerns, and Overuse scores, as well as Necessity–Concerns Differential scores. Delay in Vaccine Uptake could only be predicted for Dose 3 (Booster). Qualitative data revealed that hesitant respondents were “unable to take time off work” for vaccination and that some had concerns over vaccine safety. In conclusion, illness and medication beliefs have potential value in predicting vaccine hesitancy and uptake in healthcare workers. Interventions to improve vaccination uptake in this population should address concerns about vaccine safety and releasing staff for vaccination booster appointments should be prioritised. Future research should further investigate the relationship between illness and medication beliefs and COVID-19 vaccine uptake in a larger sample of healthcare workers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:41:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d291579acae2468bb79c05eca90d20d6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:41:27Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-d291579acae2468bb79c05eca90d20d62023-11-18T16:37:41ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322023-07-011113196710.3390/healthcare11131967The Role of Medication Beliefs in COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Uptake in Healthcare Workers: An Exploratory StudyCarys Dale0Catherine Heidi Seage1Rhiannon Phillips2Delyth James3School of Healthcare Sciences, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UKSchool of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff CF5 2YB, UKSchool of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff CF5 2YB, UKSchool of Sport and Health Sciences, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff CF5 2YB, UKIllness and medication beliefs have shown to predict COVID-19 vaccination behaviour in the general population, but this relationship has yet to be demonstrated in healthcare staff. This research aimed to explore the potential explanatory value of illness and medication beliefs on the COVID-19 vaccination uptake of a sample of patient-facing healthcare workers (HCWs). A web-based questionnaire—measuring beliefs about vaccinations (the BMQ), perceptions of COVID-19 (the BIPQ), vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine uptake—was targeted to HCWs via social media platforms between May–July 2022. Open text responses allowed participants to provide explanations for any delay in vaccine uptake. A total of 91 participants completed the questionnaire. Most respondents (77.1%, <i>n</i> = 64) had received three doses of the COVID-19 vaccination, and vaccination uptake (number of doses received) was predicted by Vaccine Concerns, Vaccine Hesitancy, and their Necessity–Concerns Differential score. Vaccine Hesitancy was predicted by Necessity, Concerns, and Overuse scores, as well as Necessity–Concerns Differential scores. Delay in Vaccine Uptake could only be predicted for Dose 3 (Booster). Qualitative data revealed that hesitant respondents were “unable to take time off work” for vaccination and that some had concerns over vaccine safety. In conclusion, illness and medication beliefs have potential value in predicting vaccine hesitancy and uptake in healthcare workers. Interventions to improve vaccination uptake in this population should address concerns about vaccine safety and releasing staff for vaccination booster appointments should be prioritised. Future research should further investigate the relationship between illness and medication beliefs and COVID-19 vaccine uptake in a larger sample of healthcare workers.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/13/1967COVID-19vaccinationboosterhealthcare workersvaccine hesitancyself-regulatory model |
| spellingShingle | Carys Dale Catherine Heidi Seage Rhiannon Phillips Delyth James The Role of Medication Beliefs in COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Uptake in Healthcare Workers: An Exploratory Study Healthcare COVID-19 vaccination booster healthcare workers vaccine hesitancy self-regulatory model |
| title | The Role of Medication Beliefs in COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Uptake in Healthcare Workers: An Exploratory Study |
| title_full | The Role of Medication Beliefs in COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Uptake in Healthcare Workers: An Exploratory Study |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Medication Beliefs in COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Uptake in Healthcare Workers: An Exploratory Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Medication Beliefs in COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Uptake in Healthcare Workers: An Exploratory Study |
| title_short | The Role of Medication Beliefs in COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Uptake in Healthcare Workers: An Exploratory Study |
| title_sort | role of medication beliefs in covid 19 vaccine and booster uptake in healthcare workers an exploratory study |
| topic | COVID-19 vaccination booster healthcare workers vaccine hesitancy self-regulatory model |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/13/1967 |
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