1. Vaccination willingness, vaccine hesitancy, and estimated coverage of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine among healthcare workers in Tanzania: A call for action.
- Author
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Kessy SJ, Wei T, Zhou Y, Zhang WX, Alwy Al-Beity FM, Zhang SS, Du J, Cui F, and Lu QB
- Subjects
- Humans, Vaccination Hesitancy, Tanzania epidemiology, Cross-Sectional Studies, Pandemics, SARS-CoV-2, Health Personnel, Vaccination, COVID-19 Vaccines, COVID-19 epidemiology, COVID-19 prevention & control
- Abstract
Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic presented an immense obstacle to public health, with vaccination emerging as a crucial measure to curb transmission. This study aimed to evaluate the willingness, hesitancy, and coverage of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Tanzania and reveal their concerns about SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and the reasons that might prevent them from getting vaccinated., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using an anonymous online survey from October to November 2022. The multivariate logistic regression model explored the factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 vaccine willingness, hesitancy, and coverage., Results: The study included 560 HCWs, with the largest group being doctors (47.9%), followed by nurses (26.9%) and other HCWs (25.2%). A total of 70.5% of HCWs reported being vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. The primary driver for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was collective responsibility. A total of 81.4% of HCWs reported being willing to accept SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, while 62.5% of HCWs reported vaccine hesitancy. HCWs with higher educational qualifications were likelier to take the vaccine, while the respondents aged 18-30 years had the highest SARS-CoV-2 vaccination refusal (71.9%). We also investigated the role of HCWs as a source of information to promote COVID-19 vaccine uptake. 79.4% of HCWs provided information and advice on SARS-CoV-2 vaccines., Conclusion: To increase vaccine acceptance among HCWs and the general population, targeted messaging is needed to deliver transparent information on vaccine safety, efficacy, and development., (© 2023 The Authors. Immunity, Inflammation and Disease published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
- Published
- 2023
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