Acceptance of the coronavirus disease-2019 vaccine among medical students in Uganda.

Autor: Kanyike AM; Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda. nyikskam@gmail.com., Olum R; School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda., Kajjimu J; Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda., Ojilong D; Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda., Akech GM; Faculty of Health Sciences, Busitema University, Mbale, Uganda., Nassozi DR; School of Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda., Agira D; School of Medicine, Kabale University, Kabale, Uganda., Wamala NK; Faculty of Clinical Medicine and Dentistry, Kampala International University, Ishaka-, Bushenyi, Uganda., Asiimwe A; School of Health Sciences, Soroti University, Soroti, Uganda., Matovu D; Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, King Ceaser University, Kampala, Uganda., Nakimuli AB; School of Health Sciences, Uganda Christian University, Mukono, Uganda., Lyavala M; Faculty of Medicine, Islamic University in Uganda, Mbale, Uganda., Kulwenza P; Faculty of Medicine, Islamic University in Uganda, Mbale, Uganda., Kiwumulo J; Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda., Bongomin F; Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda.; Department of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Tropical medicine and health [Trop Med Health] 2021 May 13; Vol. 49 (1), pp. 37. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 May 13.
DOI: 10.1186/s41182-021-00331-1
Abstrakt: Background: COVID-19 is still a major global threat for which vaccination remains the ultimate solution. Uganda reported 40,751 cases and 335 deaths as of 9 April 2021 and started its vaccination program among priority groups like health workers, teachers, those with chronic diseases among others in early March 2021. Unanimous uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine is required to subsequently avert its spread; therefore, we assessed COVID-19 vaccine acceptability, hesitancy, and associated factors among medical students in Uganda.
Methods: This study employed an online descriptive cross-sectional survey among medical students across 10 medical schools in Uganda. A structured questionnaire via Google Form was conveniently sent to eligible participants via WhatsApp. Each medical school had a coordinator who consistently shared the data tool in the WhatsApp groups. Chi-square or Fisher's exact test, and logistic regression were used to assess the association between vaccine acceptability with demographics, COVID-19 risk perception, and vaccine hesitancy.
Results: We surveyed 600 medical students, 377 (62.8%) were male. COVID-19 vaccine acceptability was 37.3% and vaccine hesitancy 30.7%. Factors associated with vaccine acceptability were being male (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.9, 95% CI 1.3-2.9, p=0.001) and being single (aOR= 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-3.9, p=0.022). Very high (aOR= 3.5, 95% CI 1.7-6.9, p<0.001) or moderate (aOR =2.2, 95% CI 1.2-4.1, p=0.008) perceived risk of getting COVID-19 in the future, receiving any vaccine in the past 5 years (aOR= 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.5, p=0.017), and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (aOR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.9, p=0.036).
Conclusions: This study revealed low levels of acceptance towards the COVID-19 vaccine among medical students, low self-perceived risks of COVID-19, and many had relied on social media that provided them with negative information. This poses an evident risk on the battle towards COVID-19 in the future especially when these future health professions are expected to be influencing decisions of the general public towards the same.
Databáze: MEDLINE
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