Albash Ayah, Alhussain Rana M, Alhajri Norah J, Alali Zahra N, Almulhim Maryam, Ali Sayed
Medicine and Surgery, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsaa, SAU.
Family and Community Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsaa, SAU.
Cureus. 2024 Nov 26;16(11):e74518. doi: 10.7759/cureus.74518. eCollection 2024 Nov.
Vaccination is a cornerstone of public health, providing immunity against various diseases. However, vaccine hesitancy, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), poses a significant challenge to global health efforts. This cross-sectional study explores the prevalence and determinants of vaccine hesitancy among 401 students at King Faisal University. The sample primarily comprises young individuals (97.4% aged 18-24) and predominantly female participants (79%), with 90.5% residing in Al-Ahsaa. Our findings indicate that 75.4% of students adhere to the vaccination schedule, and 55.8% recognize the health benefits of vaccines. Notably, while 1.5% express skepticism, 45.8% strongly agree on the safety of vaccines, and 47.3% acknowledge their effectiveness. Interestingly, only 30.4% feel well-informed about vaccination recommendations, and 47.1% recognize the media's influence on vaccine hesitancy. A significant majority (68.5%) demonstrate high awareness, mainly relying on healthcare professionals (63.4%) for information. Concerns regarding side effects (58.8%) and doubts about vaccine efficacy (21.2%) are prevalent among participants. In conclusion, while the majority of students exhibit high knowledge levels and low hesitancy, concerns about side effects and trust in vaccine efficacy remain critical barriers. Targeted interventions are essential to enhance vaccine uptake and effectively address the factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy.
疫苗接种是公共卫生的基石，可提供针对各种疾病的免疫力。然而，世界卫生组织（WHO）所定义的疫苗犹豫对全球卫生工作构成了重大挑战。这项横断面研究探讨了费萨尔国王大学401名学生中疫苗犹豫的患病率及其决定因素。样本主要由年轻人组成（97.4%的年龄在18至24岁之间），且主要为女性参与者（79%），90.5%居住在艾哈萨。我们的研究结果表明，75.4%的学生遵守疫苗接种计划，55.8%的学生认识到疫苗对健康的益处。值得注意的是，虽然1.5%的学生表示怀疑，但45.8%的学生强烈认同疫苗的安全性，47.3%的学生认可其有效性。有趣的是，只有30.4%的学生觉得自己对疫苗接种建议了解充分，47.1%的学生认识到媒体对疫苗犹豫的影响。绝大多数（68.5%）学生表现出较高的认知度，主要依靠医疗保健专业人员（63.4%）获取信息。参与者中普遍存在对副作用的担忧（58.8%）以及对疫苗效力的怀疑（21.2%）。总之，虽然大多数学生表现出较高的知识水平和较低的犹豫程度，但对副作用的担忧和对疫苗效力的信任仍然是关键障碍。有针对性的干预措施对于提高疫苗接种率和有效解决导致疫苗犹豫的因素至关重要。
