Chikhoza Angella Joseph, Ng'ambi Wingston, Nyondo-Mipando Alinane Linda
Department of Health Systems and Policy, School of Global and Public Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi.
Department of Women's and Children's Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024 Dec 5;4(12):e0003993. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003993. eCollection 2024.
Globally, the introduction of the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine within one year of the pandemic brought doubts to the general population including health professionals. Even though Health Care Workers (HCWs) are at a high risk of contracting and transmitting the coronavirus due to their work, their COVID-19 vaccine uptake is unknown. This study aimed to determine the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine and identify factors associated with uptake among HCWs at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre, Malawi. We conducted a quantitative cross-sectional study at QECH. HCWs over 18 years, and with at least one year working experience at QECH were recruited using a simple random sampling technique between December 2021 and February 2022. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccine perspectives. The study was informed by Behavioral and Social Drivers of COVID-19 Vaccination framework. We computed vaccine uptake as number of HCWs fully vaccinated divided by total number of participants recruited in the study. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with vaccine uptake. Of the 273 HCWs enrolled into the study 71% were fully vaccinated. Gender (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.30-0.96), ownership of medical insurance schemes (AOR = 2.90, 95% CI: 1.36-6.18) and history of vaccine refusal (AOR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.12-0.70) were significantly related to vaccine uptake. Age and work experience were statistically significant. The level of education, the income of HCWs and occupation did not determine whether HCWs got vaccinated against COVID-19. There was high vaccine uptake among HCWs at QECH. Some risk factors for severe COVID-19 such as advancing in age and work experience are persuasive to COVID-19 vaccination. We recommend intensified COVID-19 vaccination campaigns for subgroups such as young adults and female HCWs.
在全球范围内，2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）疫苗在大流行一年内推出，这让包括卫生专业人员在内的普通民众产生了疑虑。尽管医护人员由于工作原因感染和传播冠状病毒的风险很高，但他们对COVID-19疫苗的接种情况尚不清楚。本研究旨在确定马拉维布兰太尔伊丽莎白女王中央医院（QECH）医护人员对COVID-19疫苗的接种情况，并确定与接种相关的因素。我们在QECH进行了一项定量横断面研究。2021年12月至2022年2月期间，采用简单随机抽样技术招募了18岁以上、在QECH至少有一年工作经验的医护人员。收集了社会人口学特征、病史、COVID-19及COVID-19疫苗相关观点的数据。该研究以COVID-19疫苗接种的行为和社会驱动因素框架为依据。我们将疫苗接种率计算为完全接种疫苗的医护人员数量除以研究中招募的参与者总数。采用双变量和多变量逻辑回归模型来确定与疫苗接种相关的因素。在纳入研究的273名医护人员中，71%的人完全接种了疫苗。性别（调整后的优势比（AOR）=0.54，95%置信区间：0.30-0.96）、医疗保险计划的拥有情况（AOR = 2.90，95%置信区间：1.36-6.18）和拒绝接种疫苗史（AOR = 0.29，95%置信区间：0.12-0.70）与疫苗接种显著相关。年龄和工作经验具有统计学意义。医护人员的教育程度、收入和职业并不能决定他们是否接种COVID-19疫苗。QECH的医护人员疫苗接种率较高。一些严重COVID-19的风险因素，如年龄增长和工作经验，对COVID-19疫苗接种具有说服力。我们建议针对年轻成年人和女性医护人员等亚组加强COVID-19疫苗接种运动。
