Should vaccination be mandated? Individuals' perceptions on mandatory vaccination in Greece

Abstract

Objectives The aim of this study was to explore factors that influence individuals' attitudes towards mandatory vaccination in Greece. Methods A nationally representative cross‐sectional telephone survey was conducted via a random multistage selection process in October 2019 in Greece. The survey was designed to obtain information about whether vaccination should be mandated or not among adults 18 years of age or older. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between individuals' sociodemographic, contextual and clinical characteristics, utilization, satisfaction, and trust in the healthcare system and providers and their preference over mandatory vaccination. Results A total of 901 participants fully completed the survey (response rate 90%‐901/1001). About 85% of the respondents supported mandatory vaccination. Individuals who used preventive services more often compared to those who never or rarely used such, those who reported increased trust in official healthcare authorities' guidelines and recommendations compared to those who reported no trust and those who had underage children living in the household were significantly more likely to support mandatory vaccination. No differences were observed for sociodemographic factors and mandatory vaccination support. Conclusion This survey revealed that most Greek citizens support mandatory vaccination, which was critically affected by the utilization of preventive services and trust in healthcare authorities. Our results suggest that healthcare policy interventions should promote mandatory vaccination through multi‐level initiatives to improve healthcare providers' and the general public's understanding of the value of vaccination.

Mandatory vaccination support and intentions to get vaccinated for COVID‐19: Results from a nationally representative general population survey in October 2020 in Greece

“…Our results suggest that about 74% of respondents supported mandatory vaccination overall, a relative decline of 13% compared to estimates from the same survey in 2019 18 . This finding could be related both to the observed decline in trust in healthcare authorities and the State during the pandemic as well as the uncertainty and widespread misinformation of vaccine efficacy during the past year.…”

“…We used data from a nationally representative, cross‐sectional telephone survey conducted in October 2020 in Greece to obtain information on attitudes towards mandatory vaccination and intention to get vaccinated for COVID‐19 among 1012 adult (18 years of age or older) Greek residents. More details about the survey and data collection process are described elsewhere 18 . The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Peloponnese.…”

“…Similar to previous work, we used multiple independent variables to estimate their association with the outcome variables of interest, which are described in detail in previous work 18 . These included: (a) sociodemographic and contextual characteristics, (b) health‐related characteristics, (c) utilization of preventive healthcare services, and (d) information regarding trust and satisfaction with the healthcare system and how trust in the State was affected (increased, remained the same, decreased) by the way the COVID‐19 pandemic was managed.…”

The Feasibility of Mandatory Vaccination Program Under the Malaysian Legal Framework for Education Sector

“…O, 2021). The literature from Greece indicates that almost 87% of the population supported mandatory vaccination programs for its citizens (Giannouchos et al, 2021). Similar trends can be observed from the literature from France that is inclined towards mandatory vaccination for the education sector (Verger et al, 2021).…”

Attitudes and Determinants of Mandatory Vaccination against COVID-19 among the General Population of Cyprus: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

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