Attitude and acceptance toward COVID-19 vaccines among Kabul city’s residents: A cross sectional study

Year 2023, , 1 - 15, 15.04.2023

Assadullah Samadi , Sayed Sharif Abdali Mohammad Sangary , Mohammad Naiem Alizada Abdul Jawid Neyazi Mohammad Yosuf Farahmand

https://doi.org/10.20518/tjph.1027198

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to assess the attitude and perception of Kabul city’s residents toward COVID-19 vaccines hesitancy and acceptance.

Methods: Applying a cross-sectional study design, the data was collected from 665 participants in Kabul city using a predesigned validated questionnaire. For statistical analysis, Spearman correlation, chi-square, and logistic regression techniques were used.

Results: Although the vaccine availability was limited for the public during the survey period, 70.5% of the participants were willing to receive COVID-19 vaccines. Meanwhile, 49.2% participants were concerned about the COVID-19 vaccines side effects. The presence of positive COVID-19 cases among family members and friends (OR: 2.7), presence of fears during COVID-19 pandemic (OR: 4.4) and beliefs that vaccine has important and vital role in people’s protection against COVID-19 (OR: 5.3), increase the likelihood of vaccine acceptance among the participants. On the other hand, participant’s mistrust of the safety of COVID-19 vaccines (OR: 0.21) and disbelief on ministry of public health “MoPH” advice about COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficiency (OR: 0.27) decrease the odds of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among the respondents. In addition, a strong correlation was found between vaccine attitude and vaccine acceptance scales (Spearman ρ=0.52, p<0.001).

Conclusion: Although majority of the participants were willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccines, due to high level of participant’s concerns about COVID-19 vaccines-related side effects, a great proportion of the respondents were hesitate to receive the COVID-19 vaccines. Accordingly, public awareness about COVID-19 vaccines must be increased to counteract incorrect and misleading propaganda about vaccination and immunization.

Keywords

COVID-19, Vaccine hesitancy, Vaccination awareness, Cross-sectional survey, Afghanistan

Kabil Şehri’nde yaşayanlar arasında COVİD-19 aşılarına yönelik tutum ve kabul kabulü: Kesitsel bir çalışma

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmada, Kabil şehri sakinlerinin, COVID-19 aşılarına karşı tereddüt ve kabulüne yönelik tutumlarının ve algılarının değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır.

Yöntem: Kesitsel bir çalışma tasarımı uygulanarak, önceden tasarlanmış ve doğrulanmış bir anket kullanılarak Kabil şehrinde 665 katılımcıdan veriler toplanmıştır. İstatistiksel analiz için Spearman korelasyonu, ki-kare ve lojistik regresyon teknikleri kullanılmıştır.

Bulgular: Anket döneminde aşı bulunabilirliği halk için sınırlı olmasına rağmen, katılımcıların %70.5’i COVID-19 aşısı olmaya istekliyken, katılımcıların %49.2’si COVID-19 aşılarının yan etkilerinin olduğunu düşündüklerini bildirdiler. Aile üyeleri ve arkadaşlar arasında pozitif COVID-19 vakalarının varlığını (OR: 2.7), COVID-19 pandemisi sırasında korkuların varlığını (OR: 4.4) ve aşının insanların COVID-19’a karşı korunmasında önemli ve hayati bir role sahip olduğuna dair inançların varlığını (OR: 5.3) katılımcılar arasında aşıya karşı olumlu tutumun arttığını gösterdi. Öte yandan, Katılımcıların COVID-19 aşılarına karşı güvensizliği (OR: 0.21) ve halk sağlığı bakanlığının “MoPH” COVID-19 aşısının güvenliği ve etkinliği hakkında tavsiyesine inanılmaması (OR: 0.27) katılımcılar arasında COVID-19 aşısının kabul edilme olasılığını azaltmıştır. Ayrıca, COVID-19 aşısına karşı yönelik tutum ve kabul arasında güçlü bir korelasyon bulunmuştur (Spearman ρ=0.528, p<0.001).

Sonuç: Katılımcıların çoğunluğunun, COVID-19 aşılarını olmayı kabul etmesine rağmen, COVID-19 aşıları ile ilgili yan etkiler konusundaki endişelerin yüksek olması nedeniyle, katılımcıların büyük bir kısmında da tereddüt saptandı. Buna göre, aşılama ve bağışıklama konusunda yanlış ve yanıltıcı propagandaya karşı koymak için COVID-19 aşıları hakkında kamuoyununun bilinçlendirilmesi gerekmektedir

Keywords

COVID-19, Aşı reddi, aşı farkındalığı, Kesitsel anket, Afghanistan

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