Hesitancy towards Covid-19 vaccination among the healthcare workers in Iraqi Kurdistan.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy among Iraqi healthcare workers-HCWs.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

METHODS

In February 2021, an anonymous questionnaire on the willingness of receiving Covid-19 vaccination was submitted to a sample of HWCs in the Dohuk Governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Overall, 1704 questionnaires were analysed by means of univariate and multivariate statistics.

RESULTS

The sample included 978 males and 726 females (Mean age: 36.9 ± 10.1), working in Primary Health Centres (65.8%) or in Public Hospitals (34.2%). Professions ranged from being physician/paramedics (39.3%) to administrative/laboratory staff (31.7%); 17.0% had attended up to secondary school, the rest had a higher education. Considering health conditions, 1.8% reported a poor health status and 11.5% a chronic disease.Overall, 475 people (27.9%) reported Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy, with fear of side-effects (41.4%) and lack of confidence in using the vaccine (23.5%) being the most common perceived barriers. Midwifes (61.1%) and assistant nurses (45.5%) were the most hesitant; physicians the less (12.3%). According to a binary logistic model, holding lower educational level (adjOR = 2.158; 95% CI:1.654-2.815), being female (adjOR = 1.622; 95% CI:1.289-2.040), having pre-existing chronic disease (adjOR = 1.954; 95% CI:1.280-2.983), and self-perceiving a poor health status (adjOR = 3.673; 95% CI:1.610-8.379) were independent predictors of higher odds of hesitancy.

CONCLUSION

Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy among HCWs represents an important public health concern, since they play a paramount role for a successful vaccination campaign within the community. Our results show the need in Iraq to implement educational interventions for strengthening the confidence of HWCs towards the Covid-19 vaccine, therefore positively influencing the general public's attitude.