Mosanya Adaobi Uchenna, Ezekwelu Adaeze, Ugochukwu Ezinwanne Jane, Ukoha-Kalu Blessing Onyinye
Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.
School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England, United Kingdom.
PLoS One. 2024 Dec 4;19(12):e0312271. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0312271. eCollection 2024.
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the world in every aspect. Higher institutions were greatly affected because the outbreak disrupted the teaching and learning structure. Vaccines decrease the rate of infection and transmission of the virus, but the presence of some myths has led to hesitancy towards the vaccine.
The purpose of the survey was to assess the knowledge, perception, and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among undergraduate students in Enugu State, Nigeria.
This was a cross-sectional study carried out among undergraduate students at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), and Enugu State University of Technology Enugu state (ESUT), Nigeria between March and November 2023. These institutions were chosen based on their large student populations, diverse academic offerings, and significant geographical coverage within the state. Data collection was done using a 26-item validated self-administered questionnaire. Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 25 with appropriate descriptive (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics (Chi-square) were used to analyze the data.
1,143 completed questionnaires were obtained. The modal age range was 18-24 years accounting for 814 (71.2%) of the participants. A total of 577 (50.5%) participants demonstrated a good level of knowledge while 685 (59.9%) showed a positive perception of the COVID-19 vaccine. Gender (p = 0.010) and institution (p < 0.001) were associated with their perception of the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, knowledge and perception of the COVID-19 vaccine were significantly associated with its acceptance at p = 0.038 and < 0.001, respectively.
This study reveals that COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among university students in Enugu State, Nigeria, remains low despite moderate knowledge and generally positive attitudes, with perceptions playing a more significant role than knowledge. The findings highlight the need for educational interventions that not only provide accurate information but also actively address misconceptions. To improve vaccine uptake, public health campaigns should focus on shifting perceptions through culturally sensitive, institution-specific strategies.
新冠疫情在各个方面影响了世界。高等院校受到了极大影响，因为疫情扰乱了教学结构。疫苗可降低病毒的感染率和传播率，但一些谣言的存在导致人们对疫苗犹豫不决。
该调查的目的是评估尼日利亚埃努古州本科生对新冠疫苗的知识、认知和接受情况。
这是一项横断面研究，于2023年3月至11月在尼日利亚恩苏卡大学（UNN）、管理与技术学院（IMT）以及埃努古州科技大学（ESUT）的本科生中开展。选择这些机构是基于其庞大的学生群体、多样的学术课程以及在该州的显著地理覆盖范围。数据收集使用了一份经过验证的26项自填式问卷。使用具有适当描述性（频率和百分比）和推断性统计（卡方检验）的统计产品与服务解决方案（SPSS）版本25对数据进行分析。
共获得1143份完整问卷。众数年龄范围为18 - 24岁，占参与者的814人（71.2%）。共有577名（50.5%）参与者表现出良好的知识水平，而685名（59.9%）对新冠疫苗表现出积极的认知。性别（p = 0.010）和机构（p < 0.001）与他们对新冠疫苗的认知相关。此外，对新冠疫苗的知识和认知分别与对其接受度显著相关，p值分别为0.038和< 0.001。
本研究表明，尽管尼日利亚埃努古州的大学生对新冠疫苗有一定的知识且总体态度积极，但疫苗接受度仍然较低，认知比知识发挥着更重要的作用。研究结果凸显了开展教育干预措施的必要性，这些措施不仅要提供准确信息，还要积极消除误解。为提高疫苗接种率，公共卫生运动应侧重于通过文化敏感、针对机构的策略来改变认知。
