Beliefs and barriers associated with COVID-19 vaccination among the general population in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background Developing a vaccine against COVID-19 is considered a key strategy to end the pandemic. However, public acceptance is reliant on beliefs and perception toward the vaccine. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the beliefs and barriers associated with COVID-19 vaccination among the Saudi population. Methods An online self-administered questionnaire was distributed across the main regions of Saudi Arabia on May 2020. The questionnaire addressed the socio-demographic variables, beliefs toward COVID-19 vaccination, and potential barriers that may prevent participants from being vaccinated. The association between COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and sociodemographic variables were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predicting variables of vaccine acceptance. Results Out of 3101 participants, 44.7% were accepting of COVID-19 vaccination if available, whereas 55.3% admitted hesitancy. Younger, male, who received seasonal influenza vaccine were more likely to accept taking the vaccine. The study found that concerns about side effects were the key barrier for vaccine acceptance. Furthermore, the majority of refusers may accept the vaccine if additional studies confirmed safety and effectiveness. Conclusion Results can be utilized in planning vaccination campaigns while waiting for vaccine development.

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“…Generally, the acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccine in the Middle East is thought to be 23–66% [22] , [23] . In a study from Saudi Arabia, acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among the general population was less than 50% among 3101 participants [24] . An additional study showed that about 60% would take the COVID-19 vaccine [25] .…”

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“…The sample size for the study was calculated using WHO software for sample size determination in health studies. The sample size was measured using 44.7% prevalence of COVID-19 vaccination acceptance [6]. At 95% confidence level and 5% bound on error, the maximum calculated sample size was 380 participants.…”

“…Similarly, a number of studies have been published from Saudi Arabia, which reported vaccine acceptance rates to range from 48% to 72% [5,6,[11][12][13]. The common barriers reported among the Saudi population include concerns about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, vaccines being a conspiracy, and a perceived low risk of COVID-19 infection [6,11,12]. Studies have also reported various factors associated with vaccine uptake which include fear of infection, level of trust of vaccines, level of trust in the health care system, age, gender, marital status, education, presence of chronic diseases, and previous influenza vaccine uptake [4,10,12,13].…”

“…A number of factors associated with rejection have been reported in various studies such as vaccine safety and efficacy, lack of trust in health system, misconception, and misinformation. All these factors can lead to low vaccination rates and jeopardize public health [5,6].…”

“…Two different surveys that included participants from more than 19 Arab countries reported vaccine acceptance to be between 62% and 58.5% [9,10]. Similarly, a number of studies have been published from Saudi Arabia, which reported vaccine acceptance rates to range from 48% to 72% [5,6,[11][12][13]. The common barriers reported among the Saudi population include concerns about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, vaccines being a conspiracy, and a perceived low risk of COVID-19 infection [6,11,12].…”