Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccines in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to evaluate the acceptability levels for COVID vaccine(s) in various states in India. Published articles in PubMed/Scopus/Cochrane/DOAJ/the Web of Science that focused on assessing COVID-19 vaccine hesitation/vaccine acceptance using a survey/questionnaire were included. After extensive research, 524 records were found, and after screening on the basis of eligibility criteria, only 23 papers were added to this review. Increased vaccine assumption percentage (>70%) among the population was found in two surveys nationwide (92.8%) and in Delhi (79.5%). For pooled estimates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and heterogeneity, twenty-three studies (23) consisting of 39,567 individuals reported for acceptance of COVID 19 vaccine in India.. Out of these, 26,028 individuals accepted the COVID-19 vaccine, giving a pooled estimate of 62.6% (95% CI: 55.6–69.4) with considerable heterogeneity (χ2 = 3397.3, p < 0.0001; I2 = 99.40%). The results of this study give a brief insight into the percentage acceptance and hesitancy among the Indian population regarding COVID-19 vaccine immunisation. Future research and vaccine education initiatives can be steered by the findings of this work as a starting point.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis

“…Table S3 in Multimedia Appendix 2 [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] presents an overview of all included meta-analyses published between 2021 and 2023. These studies looked at different groups, such as the general population; health care workers; parents; pregnant women; migrant workers; Black or African communities; Chinese communities; and people with specific health conditions such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and epilepsy.…”

“…The quality of these meta-analyses was evaluated using the AMSTAR-2 criteria. Among the meta-analyses examined, 19 meta-analyses were rated as being of high quality; 38 meta-analyses received a moderate quality rating; 15 meta-analyses received a low quality rating, which points to potential limitations in their methodology; and 6 meta-analyses were classified as having critically low quality, implying significant concerns about their methods and the reliability of their findings (Table S4 in Multimedia Appendix 2 [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]).…”

“…Acceptance rates were studied in 58 systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and 12 distinct reviews reported on hesitancy rates (Table 2). [22] 0.67 (0.62-0.74) Alimohamadi et al, 2022 [10] 0.81 (0.75-0.85) Abdelmoneim et al, 2022 [23] 0.66 (0.6-0.7) Nehal et al, 2021 [15] 0.39 (0.33-0.46) Khabour, 2022 [24] 0.57 (0.47-0.67) Sahile et al, 2022 [25] 0.61 (0.59-0.64) Norhayati et al, 2021 [12] 0.48 (0.39-0.58) Wake, 2021 [26] 0.78 (0.74-0.82) Alarcón-Braga et al, 2022 [27] 0.56 (0.47-0.64) Mekonnen and Mengistu, 2022 [28] 0.64 (0.6-0.69) Mengistu et al, 2022 [29] 0.68 (0.67-0.68) Gudayu and Mengistie, 2023 [30] 0.62 (0.55-0.69) Kumar et al, 2023 [16] 0.60 (0.52-0.67) Alemayehu et al, 2022 [31] 0.58 (0.49-0.67) Kawuki et al, 2023 [32] 0.67 (0.67-0.68) Wang et al, 2021 [22] 0.51 (0.43-0.58) Belay et al, 2022 [33] 0.72 (0.66-0.78) Robinson et al, 2021 [34] 0.62 (0.58-0.66) Mahmud et al, 2022 [35] 0.55 (0.47-0.62) Azanaw et al, 2022 [36] 0.73 (0.64-0.81) Terry et al, 2022 [37] 0.67 (0.60-0.74) Yenew et al, 2023 [38] 0.60 (0.51-0.68) Kukreti et al, 2022 [39] 0.52 (0.46-0.57) Nnaemeka et al, 2023 [40] 0.71 (0.66-0.76) Akem Dimala et al, 2021 [41] 0.66 (0.61-0.71) Renzi et al, 2022 [42] 0.63 (0.59-0.68) Kazeminia et al, 2022 [43] 0.51 (0. 43 [82] a N/A: not applicable.…”

“…Recognizing the pivotal role of vaccine acceptance in the trajectory of the pandemic, it becomes imperative to understand the nuances of global vaccine perceptions. Numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have been published, shedding light on factors that are driving vaccine hesitancy and acceptance [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17].…”

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among the General Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…These issues are related to the vaccine’s production and distribution, information about the free availability of the vaccine, its size, and the nature of the vaccine, etc. Systematic review studies with emphasis on the COVID-19 vaccine’s perceptions and levels of acceptability in developing countries have been carried out which can help in decision-making and boost the trust in medical authorities [ 9 , 10 ].…”