Association between health and safety perceptions of COVID‐19 vaccine and its uptake in Ghana

Abstract

Background Attitudes towards vaccines have affected COVID‐19 vaccination programs in many countries. This study sought to evaluate the effects of general perceptions on the safety and health concerns and the confidence in COVID‐19 vaccines on its uptake in Ghana. Methods A cross‐sectional online survey was conducted between January and March 2021. The outcome variables for this study were “Taking mandatory COVID‐19 vaccine” and “Taking voluntary COVID‐19 vaccine”. The data were subjected to both descriptive (frequency, percentages, and chi‐square tests) and inferential (complementary log‐log logistic regression) analyses. Results Out of 620 Ghanians who participated in the survey, about 80% of the participants believed that vaccines were good for one’s health and 73% had confidence on COVID‐19 vaccine safety; although 81% of the respondents were particularly concerned about the source of the vaccine. 79% and 71% of respondents indicated their willingness for mandatory and voluntary COVID‐19 vaccination, respectively. In all operationalized regression models, Ghanaians who believed that vaccines are healthy (OR = 1.998, Cl = 1.345–2.968; OR = 1.652, Cl = 1.050–2.601) and those who had confidence in a COVID‐19 vaccine safety (OR = 4.405, Cl = 3.136–6.188; OR = 8.340, Cl = 5.471–12.713) were more likely to take a mandatory or voluntary COVID‐19 vaccine compared to those who thought and believed otherwise. Individual preferences and/or intentions towards COVID‐19 vaccine uptake and uptake route (i.e., mandatory, voluntary) were influenced by multifaceted determinants: biosocial (age, marital status, education), socio‐cultural (religion, source of vaccine as a concern), and location (geographical zone) factors. Conclusion To consolidate and possibly increase vaccine uptake in response to the COVID‐19 pandemic in Ghana, health education and promotion programs should aim at creating awareness on the benefits of vaccine uptake while addressing the health and safety concerns on the potential side effects through evidence‐based community messaging from credible sources. It is important to show specific commitment to transparency and reliable information to build public trust by decision‐makers.

COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy: The synergistic effect of anxiety and proactive coping

“…Vaccine hesitancy not only challenges efforts toward achieving herd immunity [2] but also may be a contributing factor to vaccine wastage [13]. The goal of the current study was to examine possible cognitive (represented by anxiety about contracting COVID‐19) and behavioral (measured by proactive coping) underpinnings of COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy.…”

“…To reduce the spread of COVID-19, high rates of vaccine uptake are required globally [1]. However, building population level trust around vaccine safety and functionality is complex and highly driven by bio and psychosocial factors [2]. Vaccine hesitancy has continued to challenge efforts toward achieving herd immunity [3].…”

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy in Ghana: A Systematic Review

“…It is crucial to recognize that demographic factors such as employment status, rural or urban residency, occupation, level of experience, and political party affiliation among opposition voters were not extensively examined in the assessment of factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in Ghana (see Figure 4). [5], [8], [11], [13], [27], [34], [37], [49], [44] 9 Gender [6], [8], [11], [30], [35], [37], [42], [44] 8 Religion [8], [13], [15], [27], [34] [42], [44], [49] 8 Age [9], [11], [15], [27], [42], [49] 6 Marital Status [12], [37], [42] 3 Primary source of information about COVID-19 vaccine [11], [13], [44] 3 According to Backhaus [50], urban residency and current pregnancy were significantly and positively associated with refusing vaccination against COVID-19, whereas age, savings, and using contemporary contraceptives were significantly and negatively associated with refusing vaccination. Additional research by Hwang et al [51] indicates that younger age, lack of religious affiliation, political conservatism, and lower family income are also substantially associated with vaccine hesitancy.…”

“…Study approaches used. Approach Studies Frequency Quantitative [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13], [15], [26][27][28][29][30], [33][34][35][36][37], [42], [44], [45], [47], [49] 25 Qualitative [14], [31] 2 Mixed Method [32], [43], [46], [48] 4…”