COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy and attitudes in Qatar: A national cross‐sectional survey of a migrant‐majority population

Abstract

Background Vaccine hesitancy is a global threat undermining control of preventable infections. Emerging evidence suggests that hesitancy to COVID‐19 vaccination varies globally. Qatar has a unique population with around 90% of the population being economic migrants, and the degree and determinants of hesitancy are not known. Methods This study was carried out to evaluate the degree of vaccine hesitancy and its socio‐demographic and attitudinal determinants across a representative sample. A national cross‐sectional study using validated hesitancy measurement tool was carried out from October 15, 2020, to November 15, 2020. A total of 7821 adults completed the survey. Relevant socio‐demographic data along with attitudes and beliefs around COVID‐19 vaccination were collected from the respondents. Results 20.2% of the respondents stated they would not take the vaccine and 19.8% reported being unsure about taking the prospective COVID‐19 vaccine. Citizens and females were more likely to be vaccine hesitators than immigrants and males, respectively. Concerns around the safety of COVID‐19 vaccine and its longer‐term side effects were the main concerns cited. Personal research around COVID‐19 and vaccine were by far the most preferred methods that would increase confidence in accepting the vaccine across all demographic groups. Conclusions This study reports an overall vaccine hesitancy of 20% toward the COVID‐19 vaccine and the influence of social media on attitudes toward vaccination which is in keeping with emerging evidence. This finding comes at a time that is close to the start of mass immunization and reports from a migrant‐majority population highlighting important socio‐demographic determinants around vaccine hesitancy.

Risk, Trust, and Flawed Assumptions: Vaccine Hesitancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Importantly, although highlighted as a concern in the literature (33,34), the present study found no empirical support for the notion that immigrants display more skepticism toward vaccination compared to natives. This has been a theorized concern assuming less access to public information as a relevant factor (33,34). Thus, the Norwegian governments implemented campaigns translating vaccination and pandemicrelated information in the native languages of minority groups seems to have been an appropriate precautionary strategy in preventing the development of such forecasted problems.…”

Risk, Trust, and Flawed Assumptions: Vaccine Hesitancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The finding that rural residents were more likely to be hesitant toward vaccination is further consistent with findings showing more vaccine resistance among people residing in the suburbs than in cities (Murphy et al, 2021). Importantly, although highlighted as a concern in the literature (Alabdulla et al, 2021;Netfa et al, 2020), the present study found no empirical support for the notion that immigrants display more skepticism toward vaccination compared to natives. This has been a theorized concern assuming less access to public information as a relevant factor (Alabdulla et al, 2021;Netfa et al, 2020).…”

“…Importantly, although highlighted as a concern in the literature (Alabdulla et al, 2021;Netfa et al, 2020), the present study found no empirical support for the notion that immigrants display more skepticism toward vaccination compared to natives. This has been a theorized concern assuming less access to public information as a relevant factor (Alabdulla et al, 2021;Netfa et al, 2020). Thus, the Norwegian governments implemented campaigns translating vaccination and pandemic-related information in the native languages of minority groups seems to have been an appropriate precautionary strategy in preventing the development of such forecasted problems.…”

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in a Representative Education Sector Population in Qatar

“…Although the survey structure was different to ours and we targeted a specific sector of the Qatari population, the acceptance rates between these two studies are very similar. This suggests that, even after the start of the vaccination campaign in Qatar, vaccine hesitancy persists, as shown by Alabdulla et al [ 14 ] and our data. Similar results have been reported in other Gulf countries.…”

“…In the UK, a study by University College London’s Virus Watch showed that the UK acceptance rate increased after the vaccination program had started, with 86% of participant who rejected the vaccine in December 2020 going on to accept taking the vaccine in February 2021 [ 13 ]. A general Qatari population survey conducted by Alabdulla et al from mid-October to mid-November 2020, before the vaccination program started, showed that almost 61% of participants said they would “definitely” or “probably” accept the vaccine [ 14 ]. Although the survey structure was different to ours and we targeted a specific sector of the Qatari population, the acceptance rates between these two studies are very similar.…”