To Vaccinate or Not? Decision-Making in the Time of COVID-19 Vaccines

Groenewald, Candice

doi:10.1177/15327086211056575

Cited by 8 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This study highlighted that concerns about COVID-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness remain pervasive, even amongst those that are vaccinated. While these findings are congruent with several quantitative studies [ 48 , 49 ], qualitative data in this study revealed that these concerns centred around the perceived speed at which these vaccines were developed. The WHO declared a global pandemic in March 2020 [ 50 ]; by late 2020, there were already well over 200 vaccines under development and 40 vaccines in clinical trials [ 51 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South Africa

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Healthcare workers (HCWs) were the first population group offered coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in South Africa because they were considered to be at higher risk of infection and required protecting as they were a critical resource to the health system. In some contexts, vaccine uptake among HCWs has been slow, with several studies citing persistent concerns about vaccine safety and effectiveness. This study aimed to determine vaccine uptake among HCWs in South Africa whilst identifying what drives vaccine hesitancy among HCWs. We adopted a multimethod approach, utilising both a survey and in-depth interviews amongst a sample of HCWs in South Africa. In a sample of 7763 HCWS, 89% were vaccinated, with hesitancy highest among younger HCWs, males, and those working in the private sector. Among those who were hesitant, consistent with the literature, HCWs raised concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. Examining this further, our data revealed that safety and effectiveness concerns were formed due to first-hand witnessing of patients presenting with side-effects, concern over perceived lack of scientific rigor in developing the vaccine, confidence in the body’s immune system to stave off serious illness, and both a general lack of information and distrust in the available sources of information. This study, through discursive narratives, provides evidence elucidating what drives safety and effectiveness concerns raised by HCWs. These concerns will need to be addressed if HCWs are to effectively communicate and influence public behaviour. HCWs are key role players in the national COVID-19 vaccination programme, making it critical for this workforce to be well trained, knowledgeable, and confident if they are going to improve the uptake of vaccines among the general population in South Africa, which currently remains suboptimal.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South Africa

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Approaches to vaccine hesitancy should also consider addressing personal motivation and social influences as well as creating an enabling environment [ 22 , 54 , 55 ]. Most participants in our study believed that people who do not get the vaccine are taking risks both for their own health and that of the wider community.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Vaccine hesitancy is complex and context-specific and differs across time, place, and type of vaccines [ 20 ]. It has been strongly associated with lack of confidence in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines [ 21 , 22 ]. Moreover, the low perception of disease risk, also termed complacency, can also drive vaccine hesitancy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in South African Local Communities: The VaxScenes Study

et al. 2022

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

South Africa launched a mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign in May 2021, targeting 40 million adults. Understanding predictors of COVID-19 vaccine intentions was required to achieve this goal. We conducted a population-based survey in June–July 2021 using the WHO Behavioral and Social Drivers (BeSD) of COVID-19 Vaccination tool to determine predictors of vaccine hesitancy, defined as intention to refuse or uncertainty whether to accept COVID-19 vaccination. There were 1193 participants, mean age 39 (standard deviation 15) years, and 53% women, of whom 58% trusted information provided by healthcare workers and 32% were vaccine hesitant. Independent predictors of vaccine hesitancy included concerns about side effects (odds ratio (OR) 11.41; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.5–50.80), lack of access to the online vaccine registration platform (OR 4.75; CI 2.15–10.37), distrust of government (OR 3.0; CI 1.33–6.77), belief in conspiracy theories (OR 3.01; CI 1.32–6.77), having no monthly income (OR 1.84; CI 1.12–3.07), and depending on someone else to make vaccination decision (OR 2.47; CI 1.06–5.77). We identified modifiable predictors of vaccine hesitancy at the start of South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout. These factors should be addressed by different stakeholders involved in the national immunization program through tailored communication and other effective strategies that increase vaccine literacy, reach low-income households, and engender confidence in government.

show abstract

“…Participant assent was obtained from all minors who participated in the study and all adult participants also provided consent for their participation and the use of transcripts. attention in South Africa [3,8]. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has been closely related to subjective and societal perceptions of vaccines and doubts in the efficacy of these vaccines [8,9].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to coping with the constantly evolving stressful reality of the pandemic, people were expected to make decisions about whether they wanted to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or not [ 3 ]. Global vaccination was considered a priority to reduce the spread of the coronavirus and to achieve herd immunity [ 4 , 5 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“It Doesn’t Cure, but It Protects”: COVID-19 Vaccines through the Eyes of Children and Their Parents

Groenewald,

Isaacs,

Maluleka

2023

Vaccines

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Recently, studies have examined COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and/or hesitancy amongst adult populations across the globe. However, there is a paucity of literature illustrating children’s voices in vaccination debates. This article draws on qualitative data collected via a mixed-methods study that explored South Africans’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2021. Interviews were conducted with a purposive sample (N = 29) of children (>18 years) and their parents regarding their initial perspectives on COVID-19 vaccines. Given the dyadic nature of our study, we explored the intergenerational influence that parents’ perspectives had on children’s vaccine acceptability and the role that vaccine literacy, or lack thereof, played in vaccine decision making. Findings showed a great level of vaccine acceptability among children and parents, where many placed hopes in the vaccines to promote societal health and wellbeing. Intergenerational transfer of perspectives was observed where children’s willingness to receive a vaccine was intrinsically linked to their parents’ vaccine acceptability. Some participants also expressed concerns about COVID-19 vaccines, related to misinformation, mistrust, and limited vaccine literacy. We discuss the findings as they relate to vaccine and health literacy, also considering the prospective implications of this work as we enter the “recovery” period of the pandemic.

show abstract

To Vaccinate or Not? Decision-Making in the Time of COVID-19 Vaccines

Cited by 8 publications

References 21 publications

Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South Africa

Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in South Africa

Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in South African Local Communities: The VaxScenes Study

“It Doesn’t Cure, but It Protects”: COVID-19 Vaccines through the Eyes of Children and Their Parents

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About