Acceptance of covid-19 vaccine by health care personnel: a cross sectional study from central India

Vaibhav Mehta, Dipesh Patel

NAMO Medical Institute and Research Centre, Silvassa, India

ABSTRACT

Background the worldwide pandemic SARS - CoV-2 causes Covid-19, a communicable disease. Because health care employees have a higher risk of contracting Covid-19 infection than the general population due to the frequency and duration of interaction with Covid-19 positive patients, protecting health care workers should be a top priority. Aims & objectives the goal of this study is to find out how often Covid-19 vaccination acceptance and reluctance are, as well as the socio-demographic and other factors that influence it. Material and Methods this two-month cross-sectional study was carried out at five tertiary healthcare centers in Central India. A Google form containing the study's structured questionnaire was distributed to health care employees through email, WhatsApp, and text message. Age, gender, occupation, income, marital status, h/o co-morbidities, desire, acceptance, hesitation, and reason for not obtaining the Covid-19 vaccine are all investigated. Results a total of 824 HCWs took part in the study and completed the questionnaire, with 470 (57%) males and 354 (43%) women. The majority of the participants were between the ages of 18 and 30. (50 percent). The majority of those who took part were doctors (77 percent). Covid 19 vaccination was given to about 68 percent of HCWs. Only 13% of HCWs had co-morbidities, with the remaining 87 percent having no co-morbidities. 19% of the HCWs had previously tested positive for Covid-19, whereas 81 percent had previously tested negative. HCWs with a family member who had Covid-19 accounted for 27% of the total. About 37% of HCWs strongly agreed that the vaccine will protect them from the sequelae of Covid-19 illness, while only 4% disagreed and 0.5 definitely disagreed. Nearly 48 percent of HCWs were entirely confident in utilizing locally manufactured Covid-19 vaccine, but just 23 percent were confident in using foreign (imported) vaccine. Approximately 46% of HCWs agreed that the vaccine would protect them from Covid-19 illness. Conclusion HCWs' attitudes toward the Covid-19 vaccination vary depending on their age, education, occupation, and income. HCWs' vaccine knowledge should be improved in order to boost immunization coverage among them and the general public.

Keywords:

COVID-19 vaccine, healthcare workers, Central India