Alghamdi Mohammed Nawaf, Alharthi Mohammed Abdullah, Alghamdi Alyazeed Abdulrahman, Khabti Bandar Khader, Alshahrani Mohammed Thamer, Alharethi Sultan Saber, Alshamrani Mohammed Mubarek, Alharthi Obaid Faham, Alhalafi Abdullah Hassan
College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha, SAU.
Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha, SAU.
Cureus. 2024 Aug 6;16(8):e66265. doi: 10.7759/cureus.66265. eCollection 2024 Aug.
Even though COVID-19 is no longer in an acute pandemic phase, sustaining awareness and promoting the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines are crucial for preventing future outbreaks and protecting public health. This study explores the awareness and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among residents of Bisha, Asir province. It examines sources of information, healthcare providers' influence, and community engagement initiatives. The findings can inform future public health policies and strategies, supporting efforts to control the spread of the pandemic and enhance community resilience.
The cross-sectional study was administered to the adult population in Bisha. The study involved a total of 220 respondents. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 27 to obtain essential insights.
Most respondents (n = 204, 92.73%) reported receiving information about COVID-19 vaccines from healthcare professionals, other people, and family members. The study also revealed that only 46 (20.9%) individuals had exposure to COVID-19, with 36 (78.26%) reporting infection before vaccination and only 10 (21.74%) reporting infection after vaccination. Regarding COVID-19 vaccine first-dose uptake, less than half (27.73%) of the respondents had received the first dose. Among those who took the first dose, 29 (47.54%) took the second dose, while 32 (52.46%) did not. It also shows a statistically significant difference in COVID-19 vaccine uptake based on the participant's age, gender, education level, comorbidity, smoking status, and place of residence (P < 0.05).
There was a significantly high level of awareness about the vaccine, with significant proportions of respondents indicating their willingness to take preventive measures even after vaccination. However, vaccine uptake remains below optimal levels, with various reasons cited for non-vaccination, including concerns about vaccine availability, efficacy, and side effects. Healthcare professionals should intensify public education efforts and ensure the availability of vaccines in various forms at hospitals to address this issue.
尽管新冠疫情不再处于急性大流行阶段，但持续提高认知度并促进新冠疫苗接种对于预防未来疫情爆发和保护公众健康至关重要。本研究探讨了阿西尔省比沙市居民对新冠疫苗的认知度和接种情况。研究考察了信息来源、医疗保健提供者的影响以及社区参与举措。研究结果可为未来的公共卫生政策和战略提供参考，支持控制疫情传播和增强社区复原力的努力。
对比沙市的成年人口进行了横断面研究。该研究共涉及220名受访者。使用问卷收集数据，并使用SPSS 27版进行分析以获取重要见解。
大多数受访者（n = 204，92.73%）报告从医疗保健专业人员、其他人及家庭成员处获得了有关新冠疫苗的信息。研究还显示，只有46人（20.9%）接触过新冠病毒，其中36人（78.26%）报告在接种疫苗前感染，只有10人（21.74%）报告在接种疫苗后感染。关于新冠疫苗首剂接种情况，不到一半（27.73%）的受访者接种了首剂。在接种首剂的人群中，29人（47.54%）接种了第二剂，而32人（52.46%）未接种。研究还显示，根据参与者的年龄、性别、教育水平、合并症、吸烟状况和居住地点，新冠疫苗接种情况存在统计学上的显著差异（P < 0.05）。
对疫苗的认知度显著较高，相当比例的受访者表示即使在接种疫苗后也愿意采取预防措施。然而，疫苗接种率仍低于最佳水平，未接种疫苗的原因多种多样，包括对疫苗供应、效力和副作用的担忧。医疗保健专业人员应加强公众教育工作，并确保医院以各种形式提供疫苗，以解决这一问题。
