Increased COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy and Health Awareness amid COVID-19 Vaccinations Programs in Israel

Abstract

In January 2021, Israel started vaccinating healthcare workers (HCWs) and individuals older than 65 years with COVID-19 vaccines. Scientific literature points to vaccine hesitancy as being a major health concern. During time of pandemics, increased consciousness of health behaviors may be encountered. The current study aimed to assess attitudes to general vaccines and to COVID-19 vaccines in particular among adult (>18) Israeli general public, and among Israeli dentists and dental hygienists. Cross-sectional surveys were filled out by a total of 501 participants (361 Israeli adults >18 years, 73 dental hygienists, and 67 dentists). Along with basic demographics, participants responded to the Hebrew VAX, COVID-VAX and HCS scales. Group comparisons were analyzed using t tests and ANOVAs with Scheffe’s test used for post hoc comparisons. Dental hygienists demonstrated significantly higher anti-vaccinations approaches than both dentists (p < 0.01) and the general public (p < 0.05). In all groups, attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccines were more negative compared to attitudes towards general vaccines, with hygienists demonstrating significant negative attitudes compared to dentists (p < 0.05). The general public (p = 0.56) and hygienists demonstrated increased health awareness compared to dentists (p < 0.05). As health awareness has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic primary strategies to combat vaccine hesitancy should be implemented in the general public, and in particular, an dental teams.

Attitude Towards COVID-19 Vaccination Among Healthcare Workers: A Systematic Review

“… Luka P et al, 2021 34 59% = intended to vaccinate. Of these: ● 33% = definitively intended to participate in vaccination ● 26% = would probably agree to vaccination #Acceptance - Older - Male - Physicians - Those who trust official (government) sources Asaf Z et al, 2021 42 ● 85% = overall rate of acceptance for a COVID-19 vaccine, according to our survey Maayan Sh et al, 2021 43 ● Dental hygienists demonstrated significant negative attitudes compared to dentists #Refusal - Unforeseen side effects Female Stefania D et al, 2021 38 ● 80.9% accepted the vaccine # Acceptance: Male sex, age over 50, rehabilitation center workers, and occupational COVID-19 exposure # Refusal: vaccine novelty, wanting others to receive it first, and insufficient time for decision-making Martin W et al, 2021 49 39.3% of them indicated acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines if available 60.7% indicated non-acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines #Acceptance - Female - Relative being diagnosed with COVID-19 - Trust in the accuracy of the measures taken by the government in the fight against COVID-19 #Refusal - Concerns about the safety of vaccines and - the adverse side effects of the vaccines Samar F et al, 2021 47 21% accepted vaccination 51% of the participants were undecided 28% refused # Acceptance: - Risks of COVID-19 - Safety and - effectiveness of the vaccine # Refusal: - Absence of enough clinical trials - Fear of side effects of the vaccine Sabita P et al, 2021 46 Only just over one-third (38.3%) were willing to be vaccinated ≠Refusal = vaccine safety Eyad Q et al, 2021 37 Vaccine acceptance rate in this study was 26.7% ≠ Reasons for hesitancy - Concerns about side effects and distrust of the expedited vaccine production and healthcare policies - Age 30–59 ...…”

“…In the current review stratified by country, there are lower anti-vaccination approaches or more positive attitudes (≥50%) toward COVID-19 vaccine in Colombia (90.7%), 12 Poland (82.95%), 32 and the United Arab Emirates (85%). 42 In contrast to this, higher anti-vaccination or negative attitudes were reported in Arabic-speaking countries (26.7%), 37 Nepal (38.3%), 46 Taiwan (23.4%), 31 Congo (27.7%), 33 Israel, 43 and Belgium (37.1%), 35 with different degrees of certainty. Healthcare workers in most of the internationally reported samples, Italy (67% to 75%), 30 , 44 Saudi Arabia (50.5% to 51.3%), 36 , 39 the USA (57.5%), 15 Romania (69%), 29 Ghana (67%), 48 Slovenia (59%), 34 France (76.9%), 41 and Greece (78.5%), 45 showed a moderate approach or attitude toward COVID-19 vaccine use or uptake.…”

Qatar Healthcare Workers' COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Attitudes: A National Cross-Sectional Survey

“…In our study, marital status has a strong influence on vaccine hesitancy, particularly among the married respondents. Previous studies also showed that marital status might affect vaccine hesitancy, with single parents or those divorced demonstrating increased vaccine hesitancy ( 28 ).…”

COVID-19 among Healthcare Workers in the University Clinical Hospital in Wroclaw, Poland

“…Unfortunately, the efficacy of the voluntary mass COVID-19 vaccinations coordinated by the Polish government [ 20 ] may prove significantly limited, as a significant part of the Polish society remains vaccination skeptics [ 21 ], and the promotion of vaccination is unsatisfactory [ 22 ]. High levels of vaccination hesitancy is common among societies all around the world that belong to different cultural backgrounds such as Germany [ 23 ], Spain [ 24 ], Israel [ 25 ], Jordan [ 26 ], and Japan [ 27 ].…”