Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the factors affecting the vaccine preferences of prehospital emergency health workers and the status of vaccine opposition.
Materials and Methods: This study was planned as a descriptive study to examine the factors affecting the vaccine preferences of prehospital emergency health care workers working in 112 emergency health services stations and command and control centers affiliated to the Ministry of Health in Aydın province between April 2022 and January 2023, their anti-vaccine status and their attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccine. The population of the study consisted of physicians, emergency medical technicians/technicians (ATT/Paramedics) and ambulance drivers (drivers) working in 112 emergency health services stations and command control centers affiliated to the Ministry of Health in Aydın province (N: 577). The sample selection method was not used and it was aimed to reach the whole population. Data were collected by sending online questionnaire forms to social media groups. The Case Report Form consisting of 12 (twelve) questions including socio-demographic characteristics such as age, gender, educational status, Attitudes Towards Covid-19 Vaccine Scale and Anti-Vaccine Scale were used. The data obtained in the study were analyzed using the SPSS for Windows 25.0 program.
Findings: The population of the study was 577 people. 89.7% (n:427) people participated in our study. 51.5% (n:220) of the participants were female. 48.9% (n:209) were found to have Covid-19 infection. 95.8% (n:427) of the participants were vaccinated. Among the vaccinated participants, 70.4% (n:288) received Biontech, 70.4% (n:288) received Sinovac and 5.1% (n:21) received Turkovac vaccine types.
When the scores of the attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccine scale and its dimensions were compared according to the descriptive characteristics of the participants, it was found that the positive attitude dimension scores of male participants (3.81) were higher than those of female participants (3.51). It was determined that the positive attitude dimension scores of the participants with chronic diseases and the participants who were vaccinated, and the positive attitude dimension scores of the participants whose vaccine type was Biontech, Sinovac and Turkovak were higher than those of the participants who were not vaccinated. It was determined that the positive attitude dimension and attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccine scale scores of the participants whose vaccine dose was three doses and more were higher than the participants whose vaccine dose was one dose and two doses, and the positive attitude dimension and attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccine scale scores of the participants who had a death due to Covid-19 infection in the family or close environment were higher than those of the participants who did not.
According to the findings of our study, the view that there is no vaccine protection in those with chronic diseases has a higher score. Participants who did not have Covid-19 infection, who were not vaccinated, and who had no death loss in their close environment had higher scores on the anti-vaccination scale.
Conclusion: In this study, which examined the hesitancy of prehospital emergency healthcare workers about Covid-19 vaccination, it was found that Covid-19 vaccines were administered at a very high rate. However, it was also found that 4.2% of the employees had high hesitation about vaccines and were not vaccinated. Pre-hospital emergency healthcare workers have an important role and responsibility in the acceptance of Covid-19 vaccine by the public and other healthcare professionals, as in other disaster situations. In a pandemic, vaccination of all members of the society is necessary for the control of the pandemic. For this reason, scientific studies should be conducted for emergency healthcare workers who are not vaccinated and who are hesitant about vaccines, including basic concerns about vaccines and examining potential side effects of vaccines. Training programs should be organized to ensure that healthcare workers are vaccinated with existing Covid-19 vaccines.
