COVID-19 vaccination perceptions and attitudes among Egyptian medical students

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to assess perceptions and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines among medical students. Methods: A consecutive convenient sample of 2100 university students representing the student’s union network were included using an electronic self-administered questionnaire. About 12 items were used to assess attitudes and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines. Results: A total of 2100 volunteers responded to the survey. All ages ranged from 18 to 25 years, 69% were females, and 57.3% were from urban residences. According to their willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, 49.7% accepted, 38.5% hesitated, and 11.8% refused vaccination. Out of 60 scales measuring their attitudes, a median total score of 46.0 (42.0–49.0) differed significantly in relation to genders, residence, and vaccine decision-making groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that participants who consented that COVID-19 mass vaccination could prevent the spread of infection in the community and stop the pandemic have 1.9 higher odds of accepting vaccination ( p = 0.003). Additionally, the participants who believed that the vaccine had no severe infection or side effects were 3.1 and 2.8 higher folds for vaccine acceptance, respectively ( p = 0.001). Moreover, participants who thought it was not too early for clinical trials were 4.3 times more likely to take the vaccine ( p = 0.001). Individuals who agreed that information about vaccine side effects better to discuss openly with the authorities were 2.8 times more likely to accept vaccination than other hesitating/ refusing groups, p-value < 0.001. Conclusions: Understanding students’ perspectives of the COVID-19 vaccine and supporting their health engagement and awareness may help plan an adequate response.

Association of University Students’ COVID-19 Vaccination Intention with Behaviors toward Protection and Perceptions Regarding the Pandemic

“…The results of the present study indicated that lower perception of the danger due to COVID-19 was significantly related to lower intention to obtain the vaccines. This may be due to inadequate information since Abdel-Aziz et al [ 32 ] found in their study that 66.7% of medical students did not obtain adequate information about COVID-19 vaccines. In a similar study, 68.9% of the participants were hesitant to get vaccinated due to low information about it [ 26 ].…”

“…In this study, it was found that students with more increased age had significantly lower intention to get vaccinated. The most frequent reasons for students’ low intention to get vaccinated were their necessity for further research, unrevealed side effects of vaccines, and their opinion that vaccination was inefficient to limit the danger of infection [ 31 , 32 ]. Similarly, Shahwan et al [ 29 ] indicated that students had low confidence in COVID-19 vaccination and preferred vaccines to be domestically manufactured instead of imported.…”

“…Thus, the appropriate education about pandemic risk perception can help students comply with COVID-19 preventive practices [ 28 ]. Moreover, websites of government and international organizations, social media, and published scientific articles can provide adequate information about COVID-19 prevention measures and vaccination to university students [ 32 ]. Finally, healthcare providers can play a vital role in influencing university students about vaccine recruitment [ 36 ].…”

COVID-19 Vaccination Perception and Acceptance Among Female Medical and Nursing Students at Al-Azhar University, Egypt

“…Notably, medical and nursing students’ ability to volunteer in health-care assistant positions that can significantly benefit health-care systems during times of emergency has been demonstrated by experience with the current pandemic. 13 They are also at risk of COVID-19 during hospital training and clinical practice. Vaccinating students is also of high importance as they can use their personal expertise based on better knowledge to educate their relatives, friends in the neighborhood and the public regarding the vaccine.…”