COVID19 Vaccine Intentions in South Africa: Health Communication Strategy to Address Vaccine Hesitancy

Abstract

Background: Widespread vaccine acceptance is key to achieving herd immunity through vaccination against COVID19, especially because the available vaccines do not have 100% efficacy. The continued infection amongst the unvaccinated can lead to heightened risk of further virus mutation, exposing even those vaccinated to new virus strains. Therefore, there are social benefits in minimising vaccine hesitancy. The objective of this study is to assess the level of COVID19 vaccine hesitancy in South Africa, identify the socio-economic patterns in vaccine hesitancy and to develop a targeted health communication strategy based on the HBM and EPPM models in order to improve vaccine acceptance. Methods: The study uses the nationally representative National Income Dynamics Study - Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) survey. The analysis combines univariate and bivariate statistics together with multivariate regression models like binomial/ordinal logit and seemingly unrelated regressions.Results: The study finds that vaccine acceptance is lower than that of non-pharmaceutical intervention life face-mask use. Only 55% are fully accepting of the vaccine, while a further 16% are moderately accepting of vaccines. Together, vaccine acceptance is estimated at 70.8% and vaccine hesitancy against COVID19 is estimated at 29.2% amongst the adult South African population. The reasons cited for vaccine hesitancy are primarily due to concerns regarding the side-effects and efficacy of vaccine. the study has identified perceived risk of infection with the mediating role of efficacy as a key predictor of vaccine intention. Apart from vulnerability to infection, those perceiving higher severity of risk (elderly and those with chronic illness) have lower hesitancy. Higher awareness of COVID19 related information and higher household income are correlated with lower vaccine hesitancy. The non-black African population group has significantly high vaccine hesitancy compared to black Africans. Males on average have lower hesitancy compared to females, and unmarried/unpartnered individuals are found to have higher hesitancy. Conclusions: There are other significant differences across socio-economic and demographic variables in vaccine hesitancy. From a communication perspective, it is imperative to continue risk messaging, hand in hand with clearer information on the efficacy of the vaccines

Acceptance towards COVID-19 vaccination in Latin America and the Caribbean: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…When contrasting with other regions, the prevalence of VI found in our study was relatively higher or similar to that found in some studies conducted in European and Asian countries such as Italy (ranging from 40.1% to 78.5%) [ 42 , 43 ], France (ranging from 30.5% to 77.6%) [ 44 , 45 ], Greece (ranging from 62% to 84.8%) [ 46 , 47 ], Germany (ranging from 58% to 70%) [ 48 , 49 ], UK (ranging from 64% to 73.5%) [ 50 , 51 ], China (ranging from 28.7% to 82%) [ 52 , 53 ], or Bangladesh (ranging from 26% to 65.5%) [ 54 , 55 ]. Likewise, South Africa reported a VI lower than our estimate for LAC [ 56 ]. [ 52 ] Nevertheless, these prevalences ranged broadly between different studies conducted in the same country or region [ 57 ].…”

Universal Predictors of Dental Students’ Attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccination: Machine Learning-Based Approach

“…In agreement with this finding, Carrieri et al 2021 synthesized a machine-learning model for vaccine hesitancy among Italian municipalities' inhabitants, which indicated that socioeconomic indicators, e.g., the proportion of waste recycling and the employment rate, were the most powerful predictors of vaccine hesitancy at an area-level [69]. The household income was found to be a significant determinant for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among South African, Italian, and Portuguese adult populations during the pre-vaccination stage and the early stages of mass vaccination [70][71][72]. In a recent cross-sectional study, the lack of financial resources needed for health insurance was a trigger for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among US adults, thus emphasizing the role of a functional universal health coverage system in each country in the world, regardless of its economic level, to enhance the public's vaccination willingness [73].…”

A Mapping Review on the Uptake of the COVID-19 Vaccine among Adults in Africa Using the 5As Vaccine Taxonomy

“…Fifty-eight articles reported on acceptance, with acceptance percentages of COVID-19 vaccine ranging from 15.4% 52 to 90%. 31 Among the 58 articles, nine studies reported $ 80% 26,27,31,32,36,[53][54][55][56] of their participants would accept/take the COVID-19 vaccine when available, 27 studies reported between 50% and 79%, [28][29][30][34][35][36]46,47,51,[57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73] and 15 studies reported , 50%. 36,45,49,50,52,[74][75][76][77][78][79][80]…”

“…31 Among the 58 articles, nine studies reported $ 80% 26,27,31,32,36,[53][54][55][56] of their participants would accept/take the COVID-19 vaccine when available, 27 studies reported between 50% and 79%, [28][29][30][34][35][36]46,47,51,[57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71][72][73] and 15 studies reported , 50%. 36,45,49,50,52,[74][75][76][77][78][79][80][81][82] Of 58 studies, 31 reported factors that influence the desire to be vaccinated and were grouped as ...…”