COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy among Pregnant Women: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Perceived Risks Survey in Lusaka, Zambia

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease of the respiratory tract caused by SARS-CoV-2. Since its emergence, there have been increased rates of transmission and spread, morbidity and mortality which led to the development of COVID-19 vaccines to address the pandemic. This study assessed acceptance, knowledge, attitude, and perceived risks regarding COVID-19 vaccines among pregnant women attending antenatal care at two First-Level Hospitals in Lusaka, Zambia. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that was conducted among 241 pregnant women using a questionnaire from August 2023 to October 2023 in two First-Level Hospitals in Lusaka district, Zambia. The collected data were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Statistical analysis was performed using a Chi-square test. The statistical significance was set at a 95% confidence level. Results: Of the 241 participants, 107 (42.7%) were aged between 24 and 34 years. Overall, 64.3% accepted the COVID-19 vaccines, of which 122 (50.6%) were already vaccinated. Further, 203 (84.6%) of the pregnant women had good knowledge, and 199 (82.6%) had positive attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines. However, 58.5% thought COVID-19 vaccines were not safe and could cause infertility. Alongside this, 70.1% thought that COVID-19 vaccines were harmful during pregnancy. Having good knowledge of COVID-19 vaccines was associated with age (p = 0.049), education status (p = 0.001), and employment status (p = 0.001). Having a positive attitude towards COVID-19 vaccines was associated with education status (p = 0.001) and employment status (p = 0.001). Conclusion: This study found that most pregnant women had good knowledge, and positive attitudes, and the majority accepted the COVID-19 vaccine. Encouragingly, most of the pregnant women who accepted the COVID-19 vaccines were already vaccinated. Most pregnant women thought that COVID-19 vaccines had side effects, were not safe, and could be harmful during pregnancy. Consequently, this could have contributed to the hesitancy to receive a vaccine among some participants. The findings of this study demonstrate the need to provide pregnant women with continuous educational programs on the benefits of vaccinations for themselves and their children.

Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and encountered side-effects among the vaccinated in Bangladesh

Objective:To identify the acceptance of the vaccine based on factors influencing the vaccination program and the side effects from vaccinated people.Methods:A cross-sectional online survey of 1529 Bangladeshi adults(≥18 years)was conducted between 17 April,2021 and 26 April,2021.Statistical analysis of the data included Chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression analysis.Results:In total,67.04%of the participants were willing to accept a COVID-19 vaccine,and 45.00%of them in our study had already received.Overall Bangladeshi people were more likely to accept COVID-19 vaccine if the vaccine reduces risk of infectious disease and has no associated health risk after receiving it.Among the respondents,religions,education level,living area(urban),belif that vaccines protect against infectious diseases and vaccines do not have health-related risk and vaccination was significantly associated with the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines.Conversely,people’s perception on development of natural immunity rather than receiving vaccines was also positively reflected.More than half(57.41%)reported minor side effects such as fever,muscle pain and headache after getting vaccine shots.Conclusions:This study revealed that the acceptance rate was influenced by socio-demographic and health-related characteristics and people are not afraid of this vaccine if they faced minor side effects after receiving it.These findings might help the government and policymakers of Bangladesh to implement necessary steps to accomplish this vaccination program effectively.

Dengue outbreaks in northern Nigeria: Evaluating the recommended Takeda vaccine and future prevention strategies

Dengue fever,caused by the dengue virus(DENV),poses a significant public health challenge globally,with Nigeria experiencing sporadic outbreaks.A clear understanding of the dengue burden has not been achieved in Nigeria,just as in other African countries.Understanding the epidemiology and burden of dengue fever is essential for effective prevention and control strategies.This paper examines the recent dengue outbreaks in northern Nigeria,particularly in Sokoto state,and evaluates the recommended Takeda dengue vaccine(TDV)along with future prevention strategies.Despite limited surveillance and underreporting,dengue fever is endemic in Nigeria(with over 5 million cases and 5000 dengue-related deaths in 2023),with recent outbreaks indicating a growing concern.The TDV,a live attenuated tetravalent vaccine,has shown promise in preventing dengue fever,but challenges such as vaccine acceptance and access-ibility need to be addressed.Global urbanization contributes to the disease's spread,which is influenced by factors such as population density,cultural beliefs,water storage practices,hygiene,and water supply accessibility.Future prevention strategies must focus on government intervention,community practices,and innovative vector control measures to mitigate the spread of DENV in Nigeria.This study will serve as a valuable reference for policy-makers,researchers,and clinicians in the management and control of DENV in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine Acceptability and Its Associated Factors among Mothers of Female Children 9 - 14 Years in Ndola District of Zambia

Zambia has the second-highest incidence of HPV-related cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa, with a rate of 53.7 per 100,000 women, despite the availability of prophylactic HPV vaccines targeting HPV types 16 and 18. As parental consent is often required for adolescent vaccinations, understanding the factors influencing parental acceptance is essential. This study aimed to assess the acceptability of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and its associated factors among mothers of female children aged 9 - 14 years in Ndola, Zambia. This cross-sectional survey involved 350 mothers from selected townships in Ndola District and utilized multivariable logistic regression to analyze data. The findings revealed an HPV vaccine acceptability rate of 61.8%. Key factors influencing vaccine acceptance included knowledge of HPV, occupational status, and alcohol consumption. Mothers who had knowledge of HPV were 2.41 times more likely to accept vaccination for their daughters [AOR 2.41 (95% CI: 1.63 - 3.62)]. Employment status also played a significant role, with employed mothers being 1.47 times more likely to accept the vaccine [AOR 1.47 (95% CI: 1.02 - 2.13)]. Additionally, mothers who did not consume alcohol were 1.81 times more likely to accept the vaccine for their daughters [AOR 1.81 (95% CI: 1.22 - 2.66)]. We conclude that the HPV vaccine acceptability rate in Ndola, Zambia, remains suboptimal. This underscores the need for targeted interventions, such as public health campaigns and educational programs, to improve HPV vaccine knowledge and acceptance, particularly among specific demographic groups. Enhancing understanding of the HPV vaccine’s benefits could contribute to reducing the high burden of cervical cancer in Zambia.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy worldwide and its associated factors:a systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionThe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)pandemic has taken a toll on humans,and the development of effective vaccines has been a promising tool to end the pandemic.However,for a vaccination program to be successful,a considerable proportion of the community must be vaccinated.Hence,public acceptance of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)vaccines has become the key to controlling the pandemic.Recent studies have shown vaccine hesitancy increasing over time.This systematic review aims to evaluate the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy rate and related factors in different communities.MethodA comprehensive search was performed in MEDLINE(via PubMed),Scopus,and Web of Science from January 1,2019 to January 31,2022.All relevant descriptive and observational studies(cross-sectional and longitudinal)on vaccine hesitancy and acceptance were included in this systematic review.In the meta-analysis,odds ratio(OR)was used to assess the effects of population characteristics on vaccine hesitancy,and event rate(acceptance rate)was the effect measure for overall acceptance.Publication bias was assessed using the funnel plot,Egger's test,and trim-and-fill methods.ResultA total of 135 out of 6,417 studies were included after screening.A meta-analysis of 114 studies,including 849,911 participants,showed an overall acceptance rate of 63.1%.In addition,men,married individuals,educated people,those with a history of flu vaccination,those with higher income levels,those with comorbidities,and people living in urban areas were less hesitant.ConclusionIncreasing public awareness of the importance of COVID-19 vaccines in overcoming the pandemic is crucial.Being men,living in an urban region,being married or educated,having a history of influenza vaccination,having a higher level of income status,and having a history of comorbidities are associated with higher COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.

The Changes in the Awareness of Cervical Cancer Prevention and the Acceptability of HPV Vaccines among Women after Their Introduction in China

Cervical cancer is a form of malignant tumor that seriously threatens women’s health. In China,according to the cancer statistics, 98,900 new cervical cancer cases and 30,500 deaths due to cervical cancer were estimated to have occurred in2015, and the incidence and mortality rates still exhibited an upward trend[1].

COVID-19 vaccination intention and vaccine characteristics infuencing vaccination acceptance: a global survey of 17 countries

Background:The availability of various types of COVID-19 vaccines and diverse characteristics of the vaccines pre‑sent a dilemma in vaccination choices,which may result in individuals refusing a particular COVID-19 vaccine ofered,hence presenting a threat to immunisation coverage and reaching herd immunity.The study aimed to assess global COVID-19 vaccination intention,vaccine characteristics infuencing vaccination acceptance and desirable vaccine characteristics infuencing the choice of vaccines.Methods:An anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted between 4 January and 5 March 2021 in 17 coun‑tries worldwide.Proportions and the corresponding 95%confdence intervals(CI)of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and vaccine characteristics infuencing vaccination acceptance were generated and compared across countries and regions.Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.Results:Of the 19,714 responses received,90.4%(95%CI 81.8–95.3)reported likely or extremely likely to receive COVID-19 vaccine.A high proportion of likely or extremely likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was reported in Australia(96.4%),China(95.3%)and Norway(95.3%),while a high proportion reported being unlikely or extremely unlikely to receive the vaccine in Japan(34.6%),the U.S.(29.4%)and Iran(27.9%).Males,those with a lower educational level and those of older age expressed a higher level of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.Less than two-thirds(59.7%;95%CI 58.4–61.0)reported only being willing to accept a vaccine with an efectiveness of more than 90%,and 74.5%(95%CI 73.4–75.5)said they would accept a COVID-19 vaccine with minor adverse reactions.A total of 21.0%(95%CI 20.0–22.0)reported not accepting an mRNA vaccine and 51.8%(95%CI 50.3–53.1)reported that they would only accept a COVID-19 vaccine from a specifc country‐of‐origin.Countries from the Southeast Asia region reported the highest proportion of not accepting mRNA technology.The highest proportion from Europe and the Americas would only accept a vaccine produced by certain countries.The foremost important vaccine characteristic infuencing vaccine choice is adverse reactions(40.6%;95%CI 39.3–41.9)of a vaccine and efectiveness threshold(35.1%;95%CI 33.9–36.4).Conclusions:The inter-regional and individual country disparities in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy highlight the importance of designing an efcient plan for the delivery of interventions dynamically tailored to the local population.