COVID-19 vaccine confidence and hesitancy among health care workers: A cross-sectional survey from a MERS-CoV experienced nation

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244415
• Publication Date: 2021-11-29T18:29:03Z
• Authors: Mazin Barry; Mohamad-Hani Temsah; Abdullah Alhuzaimi; Nurah Alamro; Ayman Al-Eyadhy; Fadi Aljamaan; Basema Saddik; Ali Alhaboob; Fahad Alsohime; Khalid Alhasan; Abdulkarim Alrabiaah; Ali Alaraj; Rabih Halwani; Amr Jamal; Sarah Alsubaie; Fatimah S. Al-Sha...; Ziad A. Memish; Jaffar A. Al-Tawfiq
• Keywords: Adult; Male; COVID-19 Vaccines; Science; Health Personnel; Saudi Arabia; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Humans; Q; R; COVID-19; Vaccination hesitancy; Health personnel; Middle Aged; 3. Good health; Cross-Sectional Studies; Logistic Models; Multivariate Analysis; Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus; Medicine; Female; Vaccination Hesitancy; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus; Research Article

ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine perception, acceptance, confidence, hesitancy, and barriers among health care workers (HCWs).MethodsAn online national cross-sectional pilot-validated questionnaire was self-administered by HCWs in Saudi Arabia, which is a nation with MERS-CoV experience. The main outcome variable was HCWs’ acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine candidates. The factors associated with vaccination acceptance were identified through a logistic regression analysis, and the level of anxiety was measured using a validated instrument to measure general anxiety levels.ResultsOut of the 1512 HCWs who completed the study questionnaire—of which 62.4% were women—70% were willing to receive COVID-19 vaccines. A logistic regression analysis revealed that male HCWs (ORa = 1.551, 95% CI: 1.122–2.144), HCWs who believe in vaccine safety (ORa = 2.151; 95% CI: 1.708–2.708), HCWs who believe that COVID vaccines are the most likely way to stop the pandemic (ORa = 1.539; 95% CI: 1.259–1.881), and HCWs who rely on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for COVID 19 updates (ORa = 1.505, 95% CI: 1.125–2.013) were significantly associated with reporting a willingness to be vaccinated. However, HCWs who believed that the vaccines were rushed without evidence-informed testing were found to be 60% less inclined to accept COVID-19 vaccines (ORa = 0.394, 95% CI: 0.298–0.522).ConclusionMost HCWs are willing to receive COVID-19 vaccines once they are available; the satisfactoriness of COVID-19 vaccination among HCWs is crucial because health professionals’ knowledge and confidence toward vaccines are important determining factors for not only their own vaccine acceptance but also recommendation for such vaccines to their patients.