Assessment of COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers in Iraq; adverse effects and hesitancy

Abstract

Several messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and inactivated COVID-19 vaccines are available to the global population as of 2022. The acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine will play a key role in combating the worldwide pandemic. Public confidence in this vaccine is largely based on its safety and effectiveness. This study was designed to provide independent evidence of the adverse effects associated with COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare workers in Iraq and to identify the attitudes of healthcare workers who rejected the vaccination. We conducted a cross-sectional study to collect data on the adverse effects of the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm vaccines. Data were collected between October 2021 and February 2022. A total of 2,202 participants were enrolled in the study: (89.97%) received injections of the COVID-19 vaccines and (10.03%) were hesitant to receive the vaccination. Participants received either the Pfizer vaccine (62.9%), AstraZeneca vaccine (23.5%) or Sinopharm vaccine (13.6%). Most adverse effects were significantly less prevalent in the second dose than in the first dose. Notably, the adverse effects associated with the Pfizer vaccine were significantly more prevalent in females than in males. Following the first dose, the participants experienced more adverse effects with the AstraZeneca vaccine. Following the second dose, more adverse effects were associated with the Pfizer vaccine. Interestingly, the prevalence of COVID-19 infection in participants who received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine was significantly reduced compared to those who received two doses of either the AstraZeneca or Sinopharm vaccines. According to vaccine-hesitated participants, insufficient knowledge (29.9%), expeditious development (27.6%) and lack of trust in the vaccines (27.1%) were the three major reasons for refusing the vaccines. The results of our study indicated that these adverse effects do not present a significant problem and should not prevent successful control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Investigating the Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Attitudes in Iraq: A Study Unveiling the Negative Impact of Misinformation and Vaccine Conspiracy

“…47,48 Despite the observed variability in the rates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance which can be attributed to survey timing, phrasing of the items assessing vaccination hesitancy, and possible sampling bias, the common pattern in line with our findings is the generally positive attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination in Iraq. 16,[37][38][39] A notable aspect of this study was the clear demonstration of the correlation between COVID-19 vaccine conspiracies, COVID-19 misinformation, and negative attitudes and behaviors towards COVID-19 vaccination. This manifested in significantly lower vaccine uptake and less favorable attitudes towards the vaccine.…”

“…47, 48 Despite the observed variability in the rates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance which can be attributed to survey timing, phrasing of the items assessing vaccination hesitancy, and possible sampling bias, the common pattern in line with our findings is the generally positive attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination in Iraq. 16, 37-39…”

“…32 Several early studies from Iraq showed varying attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination and its associated determinants; nevertheless, the majority of these studies did not focus on the role of misinformation and vaccine conspiracies on COVID-19 vaccine uptake. [33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40] Therefore, the objectives of the current study included the elucidation of possible factors that could be associated with higher COVID-19 vaccine uptake and positive attitudes towards the vaccine among the adult Iraqi population. Specifically, we aimed to assess the possible role of vaccine conspiracy beliefs and COVID-19 misinformation in shaping vaccination attitudes and behaviors.…”

Association Between Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Adverse Effects and Diabetes Mellitus: A Prospective Multicenter Study

“…The AstraZeneca vaccination had more side effects in the subjects after the first dose. Moreover, more side effects were linked to the Pfizer vaccine after the second dose [ 18 ]. The present study was inconsistent with the findings of the above-referred study and reported that out of 750 Pfizer vaccine recipients, 289 (77.1%) males and 86 (22.9%) females had diabetes, whereas 217 (57.9%) males and 158 (42.1%) females were non-diabetics.…”

COVID-19 Vaccination Personas in Yemen: Insights from Three Rounds of a Cross-Sectional Survey

“…A study about vaccination among healthcare workers in Egypt, for example, found that the reasons for vaccine acceptance revolved around safety and effectiveness, while fear of side effects was the main reason for vaccine hesitancy [ 17 ]. Concerns about safety as well as a general lack of trust in the vaccines, were the main reason for vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers in Sudan and Iraq [ 18 , 19 ]. Lack of trust in vaccine effectiveness and fear of side effects were the also main reasons for refusing to be vaccinated among the general population [ 17 , 20 , 21 , 22 ], while the belief in the effectiveness and benefits associated with the COVID-19 vaccination were the main reasons for vaccine acceptance [ 20 , 23 ].…”