Department of Humanities, COMSATS University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Department of Applied Psychology, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Front Public Health. 2023 Mar 31;11:1072740. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1072740. eCollection 2023.
Despite being recognized as one of the most successful public health measures, vaccination is still considered to be unnecessary and unreliable in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study utilized a two-pronged approach in analyzing vaccine hesitancy and health behaviors after vaccination by employing a mixed-method design. Phase 1 was aimed at identifying predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and acceptance among the Pakistani population using protection motivation theory (PMT), whereas Phase 2 was aimed at exploring the factors related to the vaccination of COVID-19.
A convenient sample of 1,736 individuals from the vaccine-eligible population (12 years and above) was selected to collect data on vaccine hesitancy and acceptance (Phase 1). Phase 2 of the study explored post-vaccination health behaviors, especially adherence to safety measures for COVID-19, through 23 in-depth interviews with the vaccinated population.
Multiple regression analyses showed that response cost is a major predictor of vaccine hesitancy (in Phase 1). In terms of the role of demographic variables, the results showed that being male (for severity: B = -0.481; threat appraisal: B = -0.737), old age (B = -0.044), not vaccinated, and not infected with COVID-19 (themselves and family members) are strongly associated with vaccination hesitancy. Results of thematic analysis in Phase 2 revealed that perceived individual experience and insensitivity toward the severity of the disease are strongly associated with a lack of adherence to safety measures of COVID-19. Faith and religious beliefs and reliance on traditional remedies are also key predictors of people's general non-compliance to health behaviors. One interesting aspect that was revealed in the analysis was the general financially and socially destabilized situation in the context of developing countries that contributed to general apathy in the pandemic situation.
The findings of the current study may help in devising a health model for the public from the developing world to deal with future pandemic situations.
尽管疫苗接种被认为是最成功的公共卫生措施之一，但在 COVID-19 大流行背景下，它仍被视为不必要和不可靠的。本研究采用混合方法设计，通过使用保护动机理论（PMT）分析 COVID-19 疫苗犹豫和接种后健康行为，从两方面分析疫苗犹豫和接种。第 1 阶段旨在确定巴基斯坦人口中 COVID-19 疫苗犹豫和接受的预测因素；第 2 阶段旨在探索与 COVID-19 接种相关的因素。
从疫苗合格人群（12 岁及以上）中抽取 1736 名方便样本，收集疫苗犹豫和接受度数据（第 1 阶段）。第 2 阶段研究通过对已接种人群进行 23 次深入访谈，探讨接种后健康行为，特别是对 COVID-19 安全措施的遵守情况。
多元回归分析显示，反应成本是疫苗犹豫的主要预测因素（第 1 阶段）。在人口统计学变量的作用方面，结果表明，男性（严重程度：B=-0.481；威胁评估：B=-0.737）、年龄较大（B=-0.044）、未接种疫苗且未感染 COVID-19（自己和家庭成员）与疫苗犹豫强烈相关。第 2 阶段的主题分析结果显示，个体经验的感知和对疾病严重程度的不敏感与对 COVID-19 安全措施的不遵守密切相关。信仰和宗教信仰以及对传统疗法的依赖也是人们普遍不遵守健康行为的关键预测因素。分析中揭示的一个有趣方面是发展中国家普遍的经济和社会不稳定状况，导致大流行情况下的普遍冷漠。
本研究结果可能有助于为发展中国家的公众制定应对未来大流行情况的公共卫生模型。
