Willingness to get vaccinated against Ebola: A mapping of Guinean people positions.

OBJECTIVE

To map the different personal positions of Guinean people regarding vaccination against Ebola.

METHODS

From January to April 2016, 304 adults in Guinea were presented with 48 vignettes depicting situations in which getting vaccinated would be possible. These situations varied as a function of the constructs of health-protective behavior theories. The participants indicated the likelihood they would get vaccinated in each case.

RESULTS

Seven qualitatively different positions were found: Always Vaccinate (38%), Never Vaccinate (25%), Hesitant (19%), Depends on Cost Only (7%), Depends on Neighbors' Attitude and Cost (5%), Mainly Depends on Risk (4%), and Mistrust of Cheap Vaccines (2%).

CONCLUSION

The diversity of Guinean people's positions implies that Ebola vaccination campaigns in Guinea, and probably in other sub-Saharan African countries, must not be "one size fits all," but must be multifaceted and tailored in design and implementation to match the diversity of these people's needs and views.