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Background Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can cause severe and fatal complications; knowledge about these diseases is essential for promoting safe sex practices and modifying behaviours that are harmful to one’s health. This study investigates Syrian people’s understanding, attitudes, and behaviors towards HIV/AIDS and STIs, aiming to identify factors promoting safe sex practices and modifying harmful behaviors. Methods This online cross-sectional study was conducted in Syria between 3 September and 23 November 2022, involving all 18+ individuals. The questionnaire was adapted from a previous study containing 74 questions from five sections: socio-demographic information, knowledge and practice regarding STIs, knowledge and practice regarding HIV/AIDS, attitude towards HIV/AIDS, and attitude regarding STIs and analyzed using descriptive and multivariate logistic regression. Results The study involved 1073 participants mostly aged between 18–30, with 55.3% females. Over half had good awareness of STIs and HIV/AIDS, with 55% and 63% respectively. Specifically, the overall knowledge level of STI type, signs/symptoms, risks of transmission, preventive methods, and complications for untreated STIs were (45.7%), (52.9%), (58.1%), (66.1%), and (59.6%), respectively. Medical field respondents had higher knowledge of HIV (P-value < 0.05, OR = 2). Conclusion Our results show that Syrian people have a knowledge level of STIs and HIV was moderate. However, the attitude toward STIs was negative, as less than half of the participants had a good attitude. It is essential to solve these knowledge gaps, especially in low-income countries such as Syria.

Background: Problematic internet use (PIU) or internet addiction has become increasingly prevalent, and concerns about its impact on mental health and social functioning have grown. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of PIU among Syrian university students and its relationship with their demographics, internet user behavior, and mental health. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students in Syrian government universities between 12 April and 29 May 2022. The survey included the Beck Depression Inventory and the Internet Addiction Scale. Results: Out of 2891 participants, 75.2% were female, with an average age of 21.87. The average Internet Addiction Test (IAT) score was 49.4, and the overall prevalence of PIU was 89%. Furthermore, 93.0% of participants displayed possible signs and symptoms of depression. PIU was significantly linked with physical abuse (p = 0.001) and mental stress (p = 0.0001). Internet addiction is (AOR:1.723, COR:2.289) fold more likely to occur in those with more than 8 h of sleep per night than in those who sleep for less than 6 h (p-value < 0.05). Unadjusted regression analysis showed that 13 predictors of the independent variables were statistically significant in predicting the presence of internet addiction, such as participants who suffered from a breakup (COR:2.039), domestic violence (COR:2.136), physical abuse (COR:2.190), or mental stress (COR:2.621) were more likely to be affected by internet addiction than those who did not (p-value < 0.05). Conclusions: The study found a high rate of internet addiction among Syrian medical students, with those experiencing mental health problems and depression symptoms more likely to be internet addicts. To prevent PIU, students should be encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities, such as sports, and awareness programs should be enhanced to highlight the negative effects of internet addiction.

Abstract Background Diabetes and arterial hypertension are the two most common types of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) impacting people globally. There is no prior research on the Syrian population’s knowledge and treatment of hypertension and diabetes. It is crucial to investigate how the Syrian public understands and perceives these disorders in order to address the increased incidence and prevalence of hypertension and diabetes. This research intends to assess the level of hypertension and diabetes-related awareness, knowledge, attitude, and practices among Syrian individuals. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted online between 1 August and 25 August 2022. The questionnaire for the study was developed based on previous research, and the inclusion criteria for the sample were Syrian residents older than 18 who presently live in Syria. The survey consisted four sections: sociodemographics information, WHO STEPS survey instrument on knowledge of and lifestyle determinants for hypertension and diabetes, respondents’ knowledge of and comprehension of hypertension and diabetes, and respondents’ awareness of these disorders. Results Among 976 participants, 65.8% were females. the most common causes for hypertension from the perspective of participants were (90.1%) for stress, (87%) High salt consumption, (82.1%) genetics, (78.2%) old age, (78%) obesity (69%) anxiety, and (38.6%) for drug usage. Primary and middle school educational status participants had greater hypertension knowledge (92.3%) than other educational levels. There was a statistical significant difference between the knowledge toward the hypertension and the drinking alcohol, which the nonalcoholic knowledgeable persons were the most common (819 / 976)(P

Abstract The awareness of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) contributes to the complications and fatality rates from these diseases among individuals; however, no previous study in Syria was conducted on this topic; thus, this study aims to assess Syrians' awareness of CVDs warning symptoms and risk factors. This online cross-sectional study was performed in Syria between the 1st and 25th of August 2022. The inclusion criteria for the sample were citizens of Syria over 18 who currently reside in Syria. The questionnaire included open- and closed-ended questions to assess the awareness of CVDs. A total of 1201 participants enrolled in the study with a response rate of 97.2%; more than half of the participants (61.4%) were aged 18–24. The most recognizable risk factors and warning signs when asking close-ended and open-ended questions were smoking (95.2%, 37.1%) and chest pain (87.8%, 24.8%), respectively. Overall knowledge scores for risk factors and warning signs were (61.5%). Regarding knowledge score of CVDs risk factors and warning signs, participants aged 45–54 scored higher than other age groups, and respondents with a university education level had a higher score than other educational levels (15.7 ± 0.3), (14.5 ± 0.1), respectively. Participants aged 45–54 have a higher probability of good knowledge of CVDs risk factors and warning signs than participants aged 18–24 (OR = 4.8, P value

Objective To provide insights into the nature, risk factors, impact and existing measures for reporting and preventing violence in the healthcare system. The under-reporting of violence against healthcare workers (HCWs) globally highlights the need for increased public awareness and education.Methods The Violence Study of Healthcare Workers and Systems study used a survey questionnaire created using Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) forms and distributed from 6 June to 9 August 2022. Logistic regression analysis evaluated violence predictors, including gender, age, years of experience, institution type, respondent profession and night shift frequency. A χ2 test was performed to determine the association between gender and different violence forms.Results A total of 5405 responses from 79 countries were analysed. India, the USA and Venezuela were the top three contributors. Female respondents comprised 53%. The majority (45%) fell within the 26–35 age group. Medical students (21%), consultants (20%), residents/fellows (15%) and nurses (10%) constituted highest responders. Nearly 55% HCWs reported firsthand violence experience, and 16% reported violence against their colleagues. Perpetrators were identified as patients or family members in over 50% of cases, while supervisor-incited violence accounted for 16%. Around 80% stated that violence incidence either remained constant or increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among HCWs who experienced violence, 55% felt less motivated or more dissatisfied with their jobs afterward, and 25% expressed willingness to quit. Univariate analysis revealed that HCWs aged 26–65 years, nurses, physicians, ancillary staff, those working in public settings, with >1 year of experience, and frequent night shift workers were at significantly higher risk of experiencing violence. These results remained significant in multivariate analysis, except for the 55–65 age group, which lost statistical significance.Conclusion This global cross-sectional study highlights that a majority of HCWs have experienced violence, and the incidence either increased or remained the same during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in decreased job satisfaction.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to explore potential healthcare workers' (HCWs) concerns about the monkeypox virus in order to create practical solutions to manage this disease.MethodsOnline cross-sectional research was conducted in 11 Arabic countries (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, and Sudan) from 2 August 2022 to 28 December 2022.ResultsApproximately 82% of respondents felt the need to acquire further information. The acceptability of the vaccine against monkeypox has been indicated by more than half of the participants (54.5%). Furthermore, we state that 45% of the participants are knowledgeable about the monkeypox virus, and 53.1% of the participants have never been affected with COVID-19 before are more worried about COVID-19 than about monkeypox. Participants diagnosed with COVID-19 were 0.63 times less likely to worry about monkeypox than those who were not diagnosed with COVID-19. A greater willingness to get the monkeypox vaccination was seen among the age group 21–30 years (42.4%) compared to the other age groups.ConclusionMost healthcare professionals have a moderate knowledge of the monkeypox virus. Furthermore, they demonstrated a low willingness to get the vaccination against the monkeypox virus.

IntroductionCOVID-19, is one of the biggest challenges facing humanity in the 21st century (1). The pandemic outbreak as affected all human activities, starting with healthcare and medical service passing with economy and social relationships, as well as political, religious and cultural enactments (2). The healthcare workers were the most affected fighting in the frontline working longer hours under a high risk of being infected (3). This study aims to assess the depression, anxiety and stress levels of the healthcare workforce (physicians, nurses, pharmacists and dentists) in the Middle East and North Africa—MENA–region.MethodsWe invited healthcare workers in the Middle East to participate in our cross-sectional survey by answering to the DASS-21 questionnaire.ResultsA total of 4,845 healthcare workers participated in the study. The participants were from 11 countries as follows: 436 from Egypt, 430 from Algeria, 458 from Iraq, 453 from Jordan, 473 from Libya, 428 from Palestine, 419 from Saudi Arabia, 452 from Sudan, 451 from Syria, 424 from Tunisia, and 421 from Yemen. The doctors among the healthcare workers were 51.7%, 19.0% were from the nursing staff, 16.8% were pharmacists, and 12.5% were from dentists. The depression level among the healthcare workers was as follows: 29.1% were normal, 13.7% were mildly depressed, 26.9% were moderately depressed, 14.4% were suffering from severe depression, and the depression state was extremely severe for the last 15.9%. At the same time, 29.1% were suffering from no anxiety, while 6.9% were at a mild level, 22.3% were at a moderate level, 13.4% were at a severe level, and 28.3% were at an extremely severe level. For the stress levels, 38.6% were normal, 14.9% were suffering from mild stress, 20.3% were moderate, 17.4% were severe, and the stress level was extremely severe for the other 8.9%.DiscussionThis study indicates that in the Middle East and North Africa—MENA—region, the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among the healthcare workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic was 70.9, 70.9, 61.4, respectively.

Background: World Health Organization (WHO) verified 780 cases of monkeypox across 27 countries between 13 May 2022 and 2 June 2022. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the growing worldwide monkeypox epidemic a PHEIC on July 23; the bulk of confirmed cases have been found in European locations. The purpose of this research is to assess the level of awareness toward human monkeypox virus among the Syrian medical students, general practitioners (GPs), medical residents, and specialists. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional online survey in Syria between 2 may and 8 September, 2022 to assess medical students', general practitioners', residents', and specialists' knowledge about the monkeypox virus. The utilized tool was developed with input from the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and cross-sectional studies conducted in Indonesia. The survey has 53 questions divided into three groups: demographic information, work-related details, and monkeypox knowledge. The time-efficient and simple snowball method of sampling was used. Version 28.0 of SPSS was used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 1257 healthcare workers and medical students throughout all of Syria's governorates took part in the research. The percentage of responders who learned anything about monkeypox in medical school was just 6.2% (n = 78). As a whole, students scored 10.23 out of a possible 15, with 11 being the adequate level for knowledge. About half of the participants (n = 700) are familiar with the term "monkeypox." As well, half of the respondents (n = 663) just learned about monkeypox during the last few days, while almost half (n = 530) only learned about it within the past month. Almost participants didn't know adequately about monkeypox. The natural host and incubation time for monkeypox were correctly identified by just 2.7% of responders and 33.3% of the whole population, respectively. 1.8% of participants gave the right response when asked about the symptoms of monkeypox. Sixty percent of the study sample think the symptoms of monkeypox and smallpox are identical. The females had higher knowledge toward monkeypox (aOR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.26-1.80, p

• Background Globally many studies have reported on violence faced by healthcare workers. However, there is still a lack of homogeneous data to give us a concrete understanding of the present scenario on a global scale. Conducting a global survey required a robust team organization structure, unique dissemination strategies accounting for the regional limitations, and continual networking to maintain and propagate the pool of survey collaborators and responders. This study aims to describe the strategies that helped carry out a global survey- based study, the lessons learned, and recommendations for future studies. • Methods This cross-sectional survey-based study was based on methodology of the “Hub and Spoke” model with the core team and sub-groups about different regions and managing country leads. The study was conducted across eight weeks from 6th June 2022 to 8th August 2022. The key steps included team organization, strategy formulation for survey dissemination and data collection, launching the project on social media, and conducting a post-survey amongst the collaborators. The Core Team convened weekly via video conference platforms to discuss the modus operandi, including the responsibilities of team members in communicating with HCWs from each country; strategies for data extraction and analysis. A standard message was created for the survey in English, which was spread via text, audio and video messages; the message was tailored according to the target region and population. The language barrier was managed by creating an audio translation or shifting to “an interviewer-administered” questionnaire. Call for leads and collaborators was organized through social media platforms and incentivized by proposing collaborative authorship • Results A core team of 11 members from 7 countries was assembled, which expanded to 40 country leads from around 110 countries. We also amassed more than 75 regional collaborators who worked to provide feedback and spread the message. The “Violence Study of Healthcare Workers and Systems” (VISHWAS) amassed 5500 responses across the world. A weekly alternating trend in the number of survey responses was observed for eight weeks. Guiding principles garnered through this collaborative project include focusing on 1. Effective team organization, 2. Ensuring external validation of survey tool, 3. Personalized communication, 4. Global networking, 5. Timely communication for maintaining momentum, and 6. Addressing regional limitations. The post-survey analysis showed that WhatsApp messaging was the most common modality used for survey dissemination, followed by in-person meetings and text messaging. The successful techniques were noted to be 1. Direct communication with respondents, 2. Regular progress updates, 3. Responsiveness for regional and country lead’s needs 4. Timely troubleshooting. The most common barriers for the respondents were limitations in language proficiency, technical fallouts, lack of compliance with, and difficulty understanding the questionnaire. • Conclusion In this global survey-based study of more than 5500 responses from over 110 countries, valuable lessons in team management, survey dissemination, and addressing barriers to collaborative research. We thereby recommend incorporating the guiding principles from this study to design future surveys on a global scale.

Background: An estimated 17.8 million lives were lost in 2017 due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), resulting in a total of 330 million years of life lost and an additional 35.6 million years of disability. Numerous studies have shown the importance of education and awareness in promoting positive and long-lasting behavioral changes. This study aims to assess Syrians' awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD) warning symptoms and risk factors and investigate further into the variables that contribute to this awareness. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken online between August 1 and 25, 2022, to examine Syrian individuals' awareness of cardiovascular disease risk factors and early warning signs. The study's questionnaire was constructed based on prior research, and the inclusion criteria for the sample were citizens of Syria over the age of 18 who currently reside in Syria. There were three categories of questions on the questionnaire: sociodemographics, an evaluation of CVD knowledge using both open- and closed-ended inquiries, and medical history and behavioral risk factors. Results: There were 1201 inquired participants; 728 (60.6%) were males, and 473 (39.5%) were females. Concerns about developing diabetes were reported by 45.8% (n=550), hypertension was feared by 54.0% (n=540), and 43.9% (n=572) of individuals, and heart disease was feared by 45.9% (n=572). The internet and social media platforms were the most common ways they learned about it. Closed-ended questions indicated that the majority of participants (n=1164, 94.9%) had recognized CVD risk factors, with smoking (95.2%), obesity (93.6%), cholesterol (91%), and hypertension (90.3%) being the most often reported risk factors. Close-ended questions regarding CVD warning indicators revealed that most participants (n=897, 74.7%) correctly identified the warning symptoms. However, in response to open-ended questions, most participants (n=478, 39.8%) did not identify CVD risk factors, as well only (n=291, 24.2%) did. In addition, open-ended questions concerning CVD warning signs indicated that more than half of the participants (n=680, 56.6%) had poor identification of the warning symptoms. The age group between 55 and 64 years had the greatest CVD risk factors, and education was related to greater knowledge of CVD risk factors (P-value

Background: Diabetes and hypertension are the two most common types of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) impacting people globally. There is no prior research on the Syrian population's knowledge and treatment of hypertension and diabetes, so it is crucial to assess how the Syrian population acknowledges and perceives these illnesses. This research intends to assess the level of hypertension and diabetes-related awareness, knowledge, attitude, and practices among Syrian individuals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 1 August and 25 August 2022 to assess adult awareness, knowledge, attitude, and behavior about hypertension and diabetes. The questionnaire for the study was developed based on previous research, and the inclusion criteria for the sample were Syrian residents older than 18 who presently live in Syria. On the questionnaire, there were four sections: sociodemographics information, WHO STEPS survey instrument on knowledge of and lifestyle determinants for hypertension and diabetes, respondents' knowledge of and comprehension of hypertension and diabetes, and respondents' awareness of these disorders. Results: Among 976 participants, (65.8%) were females. Participants reported hypertension caused by (90.1%) stress, (78.2%) old age, (69%) anxiety, and (38.6%) drug usage. High salt consumption (87%), genetics (82.1%), and obesity (78%) are all risk factors for hypertension. In addition, minimizing salt consumption (92.4%), regular exercise (87.2%), and avoiding anxiety (85%) are preventative measures for hypertension. Participant answers to hypertension consequences were (75.8%) foot ulcer and (74%) eyesight loss. Primary and middle school educational status participants had greater hypertension knowledge (92.3%) than other educational levels. Alcohol use was linked to hypertension knowledge (P < 0.05). Participants whose lifestyles did not include alcohol use had a higher hypertension knowledge level (90.3%). Participants with a family history of diabetes have a greater knowledge of hypertension (92%) than those without (66.9%). Almost age groups have shown good knowledge of diabetes, especially participants aged above 55 (93.8%). However, most individuals have examined blood pressure (82.3%), whereas fewer than half had screened for blood sugar (64.4%). 82.2% of individuals check their blood pressure frequently, whereas 6.2% monitor their blood sugar. Men have a higher hypertension knowledge than females (mean=8.39, SD=2.02), P-value< 0.05, and knowledge of hypertension among participants was shown to be higher among those in good income status than other economic levels (mean=8.34, SD=1.98), P-value< 0.05. Participants between the ages of 40 and 55 showed better knowledge of diabetes compared to other age groups (mean=11.32, SD=2.54), P-value< 0.05; as well, men demonstrated greater knowledge of diabetes than females (mean=10.76, SD=2.79), P-value< 0.05. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that the Syrian population has a good to moderate understanding of hypertension and diabetes. However, there is still a shortage of standardized, regular screening practices. Since individuals remain involved in unhealthy lifestyle habits, it is vital to provide accurate information about hypertension and diabetes.

Artificial intelligence has been prevalent recently as its use in the medical field is noticed to be increased. However, middle east countries like Syria are deficient in multiple AI implementation methods in the field of medicine. So, holding these AI implementation methods in the medical field is necessary, which may be incredibly beneficial for making diagnosis more accessible and help in the treatment. This paper intends to determine AI's knowledge, attitude, and practice among doctors and medical students in Syria. A questionnaire conducted an online cross-sectional study on the google form website consisting of demographic data, knowledge, and perception of AI. There were 1,494 responses from both doctors and medical students. We included Syrian medical students and doctors who are currently residing in Syria. Of the 1,494 participants, 255 (16.9%) are doctors, while the other 1,252 (83.1%) are undergraduate medical students. About 1,055 (70%) participants have previous knowledge about AI. However, only 357 (23.7%) participants know about its application in the medical field. Most have shown positive attitudes toward its necessity in the medical field; 689 (45.7%) individuals strongly agree, and 628 (41.7%) agree. The undergraduate students had 3.327 times more adequate knowledge of AI than students in the first year. In contrast, the undergraduate 6th-year students had 2.868 times the attitude toward AI higher than students in the first year. The residents and assistant professors had 2.371 and 4.422 times the practice of AI higher than students, respectively. Although most physicians and medical students do not sufficiently understand AI and its significance in the medical field, they have favorable views regarding using AI in the medical field. Syrian medical authorities and international organizations should suggest including artificial intelligence in the medical field, particularly when training residents and fellowship physicians.

Healthcare workers were prioritized in vaccination campaigns globally because they are exposed to the highest risk of contamination by SARS-CoV-2. This study evaluated the self-reported post-vaccination side effects of inactivated (BBIBP-CorV and CoronaVac) and adenoviral vector-based (AZD1222, Gam-COVID-Vac and Ad26.COV2.S) vaccines among Algerian healthcare workers using a validated questionnaire. The final analysis included 721 healthcare workers, with a predominance of females (59.1%) and younger individuals 20–30 years old (39.4%). Less than half (49.1%) of the respondents reported at least one local side effect, while 53.8% reported at least one systemic side effect. These side effects were more prevalent among viral vector vaccinees than inactivated virus vaccinees. The most common local side effects were injection site pain (39%) and arm pain (25.4%), while fatigue (34.4%), fever (28.4%), headache (24.8%) and myalgia (22.7%) were the most prevalent systemic side effects. The side effects appeared earlier among inactivated virus vaccines recipients and generally lasted for 2 to 3 days for the two vaccinated groups. The risk factors associated with a higher prevalence of side effects included female gender, allergic individuals, individuals with regular medication, those who contracted the COVID-19 disease and those who received two doses for both inactivated and viral-based vaccines groups. Despite the higher prevalence of post-vaccination side effects among adenoviral vector vaccines recipients, both vaccines groups were equally effective in preventing symptomatic infections, and no life-threatening side effects were reported in either vaccine group.

Globally, the novel corona virus infection has continued to witness a growing number of cases since December 2019 when the outbreak was discovered and noted in China. Despite this has not been well studied for the case of COVID-19, human contact, public moveableness and environmental variables could have an impact onairborne’spropagation and virus continuance, such as influenza virus. This study aimed to determine the seasonal variation and geographical distribution of COVID-19 across Nigeria. An internet based archival research design was employed for this study on the seasonal variation and geographical distribution of COVID-19 across Nigeria. This involved the use of goggle mobility data and world map on Corona Virus Infection (COVID-19). The search strategy for getting information for this research was done electronically. The keywords in the case search using the goggle mobility software was “COVID-19 Update”, “COVID-19 Update in Nigeria”, ‘COVID-19 Winter Report’, “COVID-19 Case Fatality March 2020–July 2021”, “COVID-19 Case Fatality in Nigeria”. The data gotten from the goggle motor updates were entered into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) which was used in the analysis of the study. Results from the study, reported that official COVID-19 cases number was significantly higher in the Dry season (October 2020–April 2021) with 59.0% (127,213) compared to 41.0% (85,176) in the wet/rainy season (May–September) it revealed that the dry and rainy seasons had a COVID-19 prevalence of 0.063 and 0.041 respectively. Further results from the study showed that the prevalence of COVID-19 was 0.07% in the North-Central, 0.04% in both the North-East and North-West, 0.03% in the South-West, 0.09% in the South-South, and the highest prevalence of 0.16% in the South-East. Considering the case Fatality rate of COVID-19 during the Dry and Wet Seasons. The study revealed that North-Central had a death toll of 196 (10.4%) out of 9457 confirmed COVID-19 cases hence a fatality of 2.07. Fatality rate of 1.49% in South western Nigeria, South-South Nigeria, 1.49%, South-East accounted to a fatality rate of 1.25%. Nigeria based on the finding of this study records increased fatality in Dry season over wet seasons. The study concluded that prevalence of COVID-19 varies in seasons in Nigeria Hence; further Data and Meteorological analysis on weather variations towards the SARS-CoV-2 Virus spread should be evaluated by future researchers. It is imperative to ensure strict and controlled application of social measures, such as social distancing, mandatory wearing of non-medical masks to prevent droplets from entering the respiratory tract, screening of affected patients along with quarantine is essential to defeat and improve infection control.

COVID-19 booster vaccines have been adopted in almost all countries to enhance the immune response and combat the emergence of new variants. Algeria adopted this strategy in November 2021. This study was conducted to consider the self-reported side effects of COVID-19 booster vaccines by Algerians who were vaccinated with a booster dose of one of the approved inactivated-virus vaccines, such as BBIBP-CorV and CoronaVac, or one of the adenoviral-vector-based vaccines, such as Gam-COVID-Vac, AZD1222 and Ad26.COV2.S, and to determine the eventual risk factors. A cross-sectional study using an online self-administered questionnaire (SAQ) was conducted in Algeria between 28 April 2022, and 20 July 2022. A descriptive analysis of the 196 individuals who were included showed a nearly equal distribution of adenoviral- (52%) and inactivated-virus vaccines (48%) and of males (49.5%) and females (50.5%). The results showed that 74.7% of the studied population reported at least one local or systemic side effect. These side effects were more frequent among adenoviral-vector vaccinees (87.3%) than inactivated-virus vaccinees (60.6%) (sig. < 0.001). Injection site pain (40.3%), heat at the injection site (21.4%), and arm pain (16.3%) were the most common local side effects. These signs generally appeared in the first 12 h (73.3%) and generally lasted less than 24 h (32.8%). More interestingly, these signs differed from those that followed the administration of primer doses (48.5%) and were generally more severe (37%). The same observation was reported for systemic side effects, where the signs were especially most severe in the adenoviral-vaccinated group (49.4% vs. 20.8%; sig. = 0.001). These signs generally appeared within the first day (63.6%) and mostly disappeared before two days (50.8%), with fatigue (41.8%), fever (41.3%), and headache (30.1%) being the most common. Adenoviral-vector vaccinees (62.7%) were more likely to use medications to manage these side effects than were inactivated-virus vaccinees (45.7%) (sig. = 0.035) and paracetamol (48.5%) was the most used medication. Adenoviral-based vaccines were the types of vaccines that were most likely to cause side effects. In addition, being female increased the risk of developing side effects; regular medication was associated with local side effects among inactivated-virus vaccinees; and previous infection with COVID-19 was associated with systemic and local side effects among adenovirus-based vaccinees. These results support the short-term safety of booster vaccines, as has been reported for primer doses.

Due to the emergence of various highly contagious variants of SARS-CoV-2, vaccine boosters were adopted as a complementary strategy in different countries. This strategy has, however, posed another challenge for the national authorities to convince their population to receive the booster after the first challenge of COVID-19 primer dose vaccines. This study was conducted to determine COVID-19 vaccine booster acceptance and its associated factors in the general population in Algeria. Using social media platforms, an online self-administered questionnaire was distributed between 28 January and 5 March 2022 for all Algerian citizens who received COVID-19 vaccines. Overall, 787 respondents were included in this study. Among them, 51.6%, 25%, and 23.8% accepted, rejected, or were hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine booster, respectively. However, only 13.2% declared receiving the booster dose. Additionally, while 58.2% of the respondents declared being relieved after primer vaccination, 11.4% among them declared that they regretted being vaccinated. The most common reasons for acceptance were experts’ recommendations (24.6%) and the belief that COVID-19 vaccine boosters were necessary and efficient, while rejection was mainly due to the belief that primer doses are sufficient (15.5%), or that vaccination in general is inefficient (8%). Males, older individuals, those with chronic comorbidities or a history of COVID-19 infection, non-healthcare workers, and those with low educational levels were associated with significantly higher odds for booster acceptance. Moreover, belief that booster doses were necessary and efficient, disagreeing with the notion that primer doses were not sufficient, experts’ recommendations, and the desire to travel abroad were significantly associated with higher odds of COVID-19 vaccine booster acceptance.