Hesitancy to receive the novel coronavirus vaccine and potential influences on vaccination among a cohort of healthcare workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Barrall, Angelica L.; Hoff, Nicole A.; Nkamba, Dalau Mukadi; Musene, Kamy; Ida, Nick; Bratcher, Anna; Dzogang, Camille; Tangney, Sylvia; Beya, Michael; Nzaji, Michel Kabamba; Kampilu, David; Onya, Gloire Mbaka; Luhata, Christophe; Gadoth, Adva; Mukamba, Elisabeth; Mbala, Placide; Kaba, Didine; Rimoin, Anne W.

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.06.077

Cited by 7 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 32 publications

(42 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The intention to take the COVID-19 vaccine was relatively low (40%) among HCWs in this survey, which is similar to findings from a prior survey of COVID-19 perceptions among HCWs across the DRC from the same time period [ 40 ]. Explanations for this finding may be related to the timing of this survey, which occurred during a period of national vaccine delay, as well as heightened concerns about vaccine side effects.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

“…It is important to note that this survey was implemented between March 5 and 16, 2021, overlapping with the arrival of the DRC’s first shipment of 1.8 million vaccine doses from the COVAX facility [ 38 , 39 , 40 ]. However, on March 15, the vaccine campaign was paused due to widely publicized concerns about the rare but serious thrombotic side effects of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine [ 7 , 40 ]. Due to low acceptance and the realization that most doses would expire, the DRC returned over 1.3 million vaccine doses to COVAX.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This may have influenced those who received the Ebola vaccine to have more favorable attitudes toward another new vaccine (i.e., COVID-19). A prior survey also found a greater willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among HCWs in Beni and Mbandaka (the regions with Ebola vaccine implementation during an EVD outbreak) compared to those from Kinshasa (a region that has never had an EVD outbreak and EVD vaccination) [ 40 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

COVID-19 Vaccine Perceptions among Ebola-Affected Communities in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2021

Garbern,

Perera,

Mbong

et al. 2023

Vaccines

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Populations affected by humanitarian crises and emerging infectious disease outbreaks may have unique concerns and experiences that influence their perceptions toward vaccines. In March 2021, we conducted a survey to examine the perceptions toward COVID-19 vaccines and identify the factors associated with vaccine intention among 631 community members (CMs) and 438 healthcare workers (HCWs) affected by the 2018–2020 Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A multivariable logistic regression was used to identify correlates of vaccine intention. Most HCWs (81.7%) and 53.6% of CMs felt at risk of contracting COVID-19; however, vaccine intention was low (27.6% CMs; 39.7% HCWs). In both groups, the perceived risk of contracting COVID-19, general vaccine confidence, and male sex were associated with the intention to get vaccinated, with security concerns preventing vaccine access being negatively associated. Among CMs, getting the Ebola vaccine was associated with the intention to get vaccinated (RR 1.43, 95% CI 1.05–1.94). Among HCWs, concerns about new vaccines’ safety and side effects (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.57–0.91), religion’s influence on health decisions (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.34–0.61), security concerns (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.37–0.74), and governmental distrust (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.35–0.70) were negatively associated with vaccine perceptions. Enhanced community engagement and communication that address this population’s concerns could help improve vaccine perceptions and vaccination decisions. These findings could facilitate the success of vaccine campaigns in North Kivu and similar settings.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

COVID-19 Vaccine Perceptions among Ebola-Affected Communities in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2021

Garbern,

Perera,

Mbong

et al. 2023

Vaccines

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This study's findings confirm vaccine hesitancy in the unvaccinated groups and greater vaccine confidence and uptake in the vaccinated groups in Zimbabwe and South Africa. These findings reinforce those of other studies in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC) [17,18]. Barriers to COVID-19 vaccination uptake included concerns around vaccine safety and efficacy.…”

Section: Confidence As a Barrier And Motivatorsupporting

confidence: 86%

A Qualitative Study Exploring Motivators and Barriers to COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake among Adults in South Africa and Zimbabw

Myburgh¹,

Mulaudzi²,

Tshabalala³

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

While vaccines are a well-established method of controlling the spread of infectious diseases, vaccine hesitancy jeopardizes curbing the spread of COVID-19. Through the Vaccine Information Network (VIN), this study explored barriers and motivators to COVID-19 vaccine uptake. We conducted 18 focus group discussions with male and female community members, stratified by country, age group, and—for Zimbabwe only—by HIV status. Participants’ median age across both countries was 40 years (interquartile range of 22–40) and most (65.9%) were female. We conceptualized the key themes within the World Health Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) 3Cs (convenience, confidence, complacency) vaccine hesitancy model. Barriers to vaccine uptake—lack of convenience, low confidence, and high complacency—included inaccessibility of vaccines and vaccination sites, vaccine safety and development concerns, and disbelief in COVID-19’s existence. Motivators to vaccine uptake—convenience, confidence and low complacency—included accessibility of vaccination sites, user-friendly registration processes, trust in governments and vaccines, fear of dying from COVID-19 and knowing someone who had died or become infected with COVID-19. Overall, vaccine hesitancy in South Africa and Zimbabwe was influenced by inconvenience, a lack of confidence, and high complacency around COVID-19 vaccines.

show abstract

“…The implementation of Covid-19 vaccination program in its first year has not been well described in previous studies. Research conducted where either limited in scope like addressing one province [19,20] or one component of the vaccination for instance, the communication, the demand generation [21][22][23][24]. The only study that gave an overview of implementation was a commentary but was limited as it only focused on ChAdOx1 [25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Struggle to Vaccinate: Unveiling the Reality of the first year of Covid-19 Vaccination in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Adidja,

Aimé,

Lungoyo Luhata

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionThe emergence of COVID-19 as a global pandemic has affected countries worldwide, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC has experienced four waves of COVID-19, each associated with a new variant of the virus. To control the spread of the virus, the government of the DRC implemented various measures, including vaccination. The country developed a COVID-19 vaccine deployment plan, targeting high-risk groups, and launched a vaccination campaign in April 2021. This study aims to comprehensively assess the COVID-19 vaccination program in the DRC during its first year of implementation, including progress, coverage, types of vaccines administered, and a comparison with other neighboring countries.MethodsThis study was an analysis of the COVID-19 vaccination data during its first year of implementation in DRC. Data were collected from multiple sources, including the Ministry of Health and the WHO, and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study received clearance and used de-identified and aggregated data.ResultsOut of the 26 provinces in the country, only 15 began immunization activities with varying levels of coverage, ranging from 0.02% to 6.91%. The number of functional vaccination sites remained patchy across the country. By March 2022, 5.7% of the population had received at least one vaccine dose, with 1.03% fully vaccinated. In most provinces, men were more compliant with vaccination than women. More than half of the vaccinated individuals preferred the Janssen vaccine. Compared to neighboring countries, the DRC has lagged behind in its vaccination efforts, having administered only 1.1 million of doses received (8%) and has vaccinated only 2% of its population with at least one dose, the lowest among the countries analyzed.ConclusionDespite the challenges faced in the first year of the COVID-19 vaccination, DRC has made significant progress in vaccinating its population. The slow progress highlights the need for continued investment in health systems. These insights can inform future Covid-19 vaccination campaigns in DRC and other low-income countries.

show abstract

Hesitancy to receive the novel coronavirus vaccine and potential influences on vaccination among a cohort of healthcare workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Cited by 7 publications

References 32 publications

COVID-19 Vaccine Perceptions among Ebola-Affected Communities in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Perceptions among Ebola-Affected Communities in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2021

A Qualitative Study Exploring Motivators and Barriers to COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake among Adults in South Africa and Zimbabw

The Struggle to Vaccinate: Unveiling the Reality of the first year of Covid-19 Vaccination in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About