Ioannou Petros, Tzalis Sotiris, Pasparaki Eirini, Spentzouri Despoina, Konidaki Myrto, Papakitsou Ioanna, Spernovasilis Nikolaos, Papanikolaou Nikolaos, Samonis George, Kofteridis Diamantis P
COVID-19 Department, University Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece.
COVID-19 Department, Venizeleion General Hospital of Heraklion, 71409 Heraklion, Greece.
Infect Dis Rep. 2022 Aug 8;14(4):587-596. doi: 10.3390/idr14040063.
The development of vaccines against COVID-19 has greatly altered the natural course of this infection, reducing the disease's severity and patients' hospitalization. However, hesitancy against vaccination remains an obstacle in the attempt to achieve appropriate herd immunity that could reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions and attitudes of COVID-19 patients hospitalized during the fourth pandemic wave in two Greek hospitals and assess whether their experience had changed their intentions regarding vaccination against COVID-19.
This is a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey, conducted from 31 August 2021 to 18 February 2022 in the COVID-19 departments of two tertiary care hospitals. The questionnaire included questions regarding the patients' educational level, knowledge and beliefs regarding SARS-CoV-2, personal protection measures, beliefs regarding vaccination, vaccination status, reasons for not been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, feelings of regret for not been vaccinated, and willingness to be vaccinated in the future. All adult patients with COVID-19 were eligible, regardless of their vaccination status against SARS-CoV-2.
In total, 162 patients agreed and participated in the study, with 97% of them suffering severe COVID-19. Their median age was 56 years, and 59.9% (97 patients) were male. Among them, 43.8% had been vaccinated against COVID-19. When unvaccinated patients were asked the reasons for not being vaccinated, the most frequent responses were that they were waiting for more scientific data, due to uncertainty about long-term consequences of the vaccine, and their fear of thrombosis. When at discharge, unvaccinated hospitalized COVID-19 patients were asked whether they would get vaccinated if they could turn time back, and 64.7% of them replied positively.
The study reveals several patients' fears and misconceptions and suggests that there is room for implementing measures that could reduce knowledge gaps allowing for improvement of vaccination rates against COVID-19.
针对新冠病毒的疫苗研发极大地改变了这种感染的自然病程，降低了疾病的严重程度以及患者的住院率。然而，疫苗犹豫仍然是实现适当群体免疫（这有助于减少新冠病毒传播）的一个障碍。本研究的目的是调查在希腊两家医院第四波疫情期间住院的新冠患者的认知和态度，并评估他们的患病经历是否改变了他们接种新冠疫苗的意愿。
这是一项基于问卷调查的横断面研究，于2021年8月31日至2022年2月18日在两家三级医院的新冠科室进行。问卷包括关于患者教育水平、对新冠病毒的认知和信念、个人防护措施、对疫苗接种的信念、疫苗接种状况、未接种新冠疫苗的原因、未接种疫苗的后悔情绪以及未来接种意愿等问题。所有成年新冠患者均符合条件，无论其新冠疫苗接种状况如何。
共有162名患者同意并参与了研究，其中97%患有重症新冠。他们的中位年龄为56岁，59.9%（97名患者）为男性。其中，43.8%的患者接种过新冠疫苗。当未接种疫苗的患者被问及未接种的原因时，最常见的回答是他们在等待更多科学数据、因疫苗长期后果不确定以及害怕血栓形成。在出院时，当被问及如果能时光倒流是否会接种疫苗时，64.7%的未接种疫苗的住院新冠患者给予了肯定回答。
该研究揭示了患者的一些恐惧和误解，并表明有空间实施措施来减少知识差距，从而提高新冠疫苗接种率。
