Evaluating the Adverse Effects and Associated Risk Factors of COVID-19 Vaccines Among Healthcare Workers: A Retrospective Study in the Duhok Province, Iraq.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted global health, necessitating the rapid development of vaccines to reduce its effects. However, concerns among healthcare workers regarding vaccine safety and side effects have led to increased hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination. Therefore, this study aims to assess the severity of adverse effects and associated factors of three COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare workers in Iraqi Kurdistan.

METHODS

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare workers in Duhok province, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, with 625 participants aged 18 to 65 years (mean age 38.42±13.96) from August to December 2022. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. The study questionnaire consisted of two parts: the first part collected demographic information about the participants, while the second part focused on their COVID-19 infection and vaccination status.

RESULTS

Of the total participants, 52.8% were female, with a mean age of 38.42 years (±13.96 SD). Approximately 67.5% received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and 60.9% had a prior history of COVID-19 infection. A significant proportion (82.24%) reported side effects, which were mostly mild or moderate, with 13.6% experiencing severe symptoms. The most commonly reported side effects across all three vaccines were pain at the injection site, fever, headache, and fatigue. Participants aged 36-50 reported significantly higher rates of severe side effects (87.88%, p = 0.047). Individuals with a history of allergies experienced significantly fewer adverse effects (48.93%) (p = 0.001). Those with prior COVID-19 infection also reported more severe symptoms post-vaccination (p = 0.001) and vaccine type-influenced side effects (p < 0.001), with Oxford/AstraZeneca recipients more likely to experience severe reactions compared to Pfizer recipients. Fatigue, chills, tremors, and myalgia were significantly more common in females than males (p < 0.005).

CONCLUSION

This study identified the most common side effects of COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare workers in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. AstraZeneca vaccine was associated with a higher prevalence of systemic effects, including fever, fatigue, headache and myalgia. These findings provide valuable insights into the safety and side effect profile of COVID-19 vaccines in the region.