Vaccine Hesitancy of Health-Care Workers: Another Challenge in the Fight Against COVID-19 in Istanbul

Abstract

Objective: Healthcare workers (HCWs), are often seen as the most reliable source of vaccine-related information for their patients; nevertheless, various studies show that HCWs experience vaccine hesitation. In this study, the aim was to determine the reasons for vaccine hesitation among HCWs working in a large public hospital and its affiliated units in Istanbul. Method: A descriptive method for collecting qualitative data was designed for this study. The data of the HCWs was analyzed in line with the vaccine hesitancy factors put forward by the WHO. Results: The most important vaccine hesitancy theme that emerged was the fear and lack of confidence in the vaccines, which was expressed at a higher rate than any other theme in all HCWs. The most cited reason for fear/lack of confidence in the vaccine was the fear of its side effects. It was observed that the HCWs who reported hesitation about vaccination due to pregnancy and breastfeeding consisted of women. The second most common theme for vaccine hesitation was reported as an inconvenience in accessing the vaccines. Although HCWs have priority, they stated that their reason for vaccine hesitancy was due to heavy personal or workloads. The final theme was about complacency, or thinking they do not need the vaccine. Conclusion: Vaccine hesitation is a challenge that can be overcome with detailed monitoring and policy making. Although the vaccine seems to be more significant, we do not want to see vaccine hesitancy grow more than the vaccine itself.

Using Integrative Behavior Model to Predict COVID-19 Vaccination Intention among Health Care Workers in Indonesia: A Nationwide Survey

“…Moreover, a systematic review on HCW’s vaccine attitude and related factors by Li et al also highlighted that females had higher vaccine hesitancy [ 40 ]. In the same way, previous studies have found that male HCWs were more likely to vaccinate than female HCWs [ 21 , 24 , 41 ].…”

“…According to several studies, males had a higher risk of COVID-19 complications, infectivity, and death [ 24 , 42 ]. Furthermore, it has been hypothesized that this is owing to worries about side effects such as infertility, major side effects that render them unable to care for their family, higher sensitivity to media myths and disinformation, and dread of receiving the vaccination while pregnant [ 21 , 41 ]. Previous studies have suggested that tailored communication strategies are needed to increase the uptake rate of COVID-19 vaccines among HCWs [ 10 , 40 ].…”

Evaluation of the knowledge, attitudes, vaccine hesitancy, and behaviors of anesthesia technicians on adult vaccination

“…İkiışık et al [27] showed that male doctors had a higher acceptance rate than females. Yilmaz et al [31] briefly reported that fear and lack of confidence were the most cited reasons related to vaccine hesitancy among HCWs. In addition to the average age and professional experience, pregnancy and breastfeeding were the most common reasons for vaccine hesitancy among females.…”

The effect of COVID-19 on employees' mental health

“…Although symptoms and the effects of coronavirus on health have been excessively covered by media 29 , many people, including healthcare workers, experienced vaccine hesitation due to a lack of confidence in the vaccines 30 , 31 . Moreover, misinformation spread through social media 31 , and being exposed to them due to the overuse of electronic devices during the lockdowns left people anxious, fearful, and ultimately hopeless 32 .…”