Osur Joachim O, Chengo Rehema, Muinga Evelyne, Kemboi Jackline, Sidibe Myriam, Rarieya Maggie
Department of Rehabilitative Medicine, School of medical Sciences, Amref International University, P.O. Box 27691-00506, Nairobi, Kenya.
Department of Technical Directorate Unit, Amref Health Africa Headquarters, P.O. Box 27691-00506, Nairobi, Kenya.
Arch Public Health. 2022 Jun 23;80(1):159. doi: 10.1186/s13690-022-00904-4.
COVID-19 has become a public health concern globally with increased numbers of cases of the disease and deaths reported daily. The key strategy for the prevention of COVID-19 disease is to enhance mass COVID-19 vaccination. However, mass vaccination faces challenges of hesitation to acceptance of the vaccine in the community. The youth may not be among the vulnerable population to severe COVID-19 disease but are highly susceptible to contracting the virus and spreading it. The aim of the study was to assess COVID-19 vaccine youth behavior intentions and their determinants in Kenya.
The study used a mixed method design, employing a cross-sectional survey and focused group discussions across 47 counties in Urban, Peri-Urban and Rural settings of Kenya. The interviewees were youths aged 18-35, registered in online platforms/peer groups that included Shujaaz, Brck Moja, Aiffluence, Y Act and Heroes for Change. Quantitative data was collected using Google forms. A total of 665 interviews were conducted. Quantitative data was analysed using STATA version 16. In this paper we report quantitative study findings.
The findings of the study indicated that only 42% of the youth were ready to be vaccinated, with 52% adopting a wait and see approach to what happens to those who had received the vaccine and 6% totally unwilling to be vaccinated. The determinants of these behavior intentions included: the perceived adverse effects of the vaccine on health, inadequate information about the COVID-19 vaccine, conflicting information about COVID-19 vaccine from the social media, religious implications of the vaccine, impact of education level on understanding of the vaccine, perceived risk of contracting the COVID-19 disease, efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, COVID-19 affecting women than men and trust in the ministry of health to lead COVID-19 interventions. Significantly it was found that hesitancy is higher among females, protestants and those with post-secondary education. Lack of information and concerns around vaccine safety and effectiveness were main cause of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Social media was the major source of information contributing to hesitancy. Other contributors to hesitancy included low trust in the MoH and belief that mass vaccination is not helpful.
Vaccine hesitancy remains high among the youth but the causes of it are modifiable and health systems need to have evidence based engagements with the youth to reduce vaccine hesitancy.
随着每日报告的新冠病毒病病例和死亡人数不断增加，新冠病毒病已成为全球公共卫生问题。预防新冠病毒病的关键策略是加强大规模新冠病毒疫苗接种。然而，大规模疫苗接种面临着社区中人们对接种疫苗犹豫不决的挑战。年轻人可能不属于新冠病毒病重症的易感人群，但极易感染病毒并传播病毒。本研究的目的是评估肯尼亚年轻人对新冠病毒疫苗的行为意向及其决定因素。
本研究采用混合方法设计，在肯尼亚城市、城郊和农村地区的47个县进行横断面调查和焦点小组讨论。受访者为年龄在18至35岁之间、注册于包括Shujaaz、Brck Moja、Aiffluence、Y Act和Heroes for Change等在线平台/同龄人群体的年轻人。定量数据通过谷歌表单收集。共进行了665次访谈。定量数据使用STATA 16版本进行分析。在本文中，我们报告定量研究结果。
研究结果表明，只有42%的年轻人愿意接种疫苗，52%的人采取观望态度，看看接种疫苗的人会怎样，6%的人完全不愿意接种疫苗。这些行为意向的决定因素包括：认为疫苗对健康有不良影响、关于新冠病毒疫苗的信息不足、社交媒体上关于新冠病毒疫苗的信息相互矛盾、疫苗的宗教影响、教育水平对理解疫苗的影响、感染新冠病毒病的感知风险、新冠病毒疫苗的效力、新冠病毒对女性的影响大于男性以及对卫生部领导新冠病毒干预措施的信任。值得注意的是，发现女性、新教徒和受过高等教育的人犹豫程度更高。缺乏信息以及对疫苗安全性和有效性的担忧是新冠病毒疫苗犹豫的主要原因。社交媒体是导致犹豫的主要信息来源。导致犹豫的其他因素包括对卫生部的信任度低以及认为大规模疫苗接种没有帮助。
年轻人中疫苗犹豫现象仍然严重，但导致这种现象的原因是可以改变的，卫生系统需要与年轻人进行基于证据的沟通，以减少疫苗犹豫。
