Perceived knowledge, attitude and readiness to accept towards COVID-19 vaccine among health care staffs in a tertiary government hospital

Introduction@#Fear and concern over vaccine safety are the most common reasons for vaccine hesitancy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare staff are among those at high risk of contracting the virus. They are also the public’s vital source of information and in providing trust regarding COVID-19 vaccines. This study was conducted to assess perception, attitude, and vaccination acceptance towards COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare staff at Eastern Visayas Regional Medical (EVMC).@*Objective@#To assess the perceived knowledge, attitude, and readiness to accept COVID-19 Vaccines among Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVMC) healthcare staff.@*Methods@#This analytic cross-sectional study included all medical and allied personnel employed at EVMC. Data were collected with signed consent through self-administration of a researcher-developed validated questionnaire, subsequently analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.@*Results@#About 634 participated, many belonged to the age group 30-39 years old (47.8%), mostly female (66.3%), single (50 %), and Roman Catholic (89.4%). Data showed no significant relationship between age, sex, marital status, religion, and the presence of chronic illness of the healthcare staff towards perceived knowledge, attitude, and readiness towards the COVID-19 vaccine. However, their clinical role was noted as significant towards their perceived knowledge and attitude (p-value = <.001). Overall, the healthcare staff response showed a moderate to high perceived knowledge and attitude about COVID-19 vaccine acceptance (p-value= <.001).@*Conclusions@#Notably, the clinical role of healthcare staff is significantly related to their perceived knowledge and attitude towards the COVID-19 vaccine. Moreover, they manifested moderate to high levels of perceived knowledge, attitude, and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. These results may help address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, thus strengthen vaccine confidence among the general population. Furthermore, it provides inputs to create strategies that will enhance vaccine literacy and acceptance, directly addressing the community’s concerns and misconceptions, particularly those vulnerable groups that may easily contract severe infection.

Relationship of trust on selected health information sources and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among older adults / The Health Sciences Journal

Introduction@#In order to suppress the COVID-19 virus, several vaccines have been developed. The administration of COVID-19 vaccines entails its acceptance. However, misinformation and vaccine uncertainty are main factors that affect vaccine acceptance. This study aimed to determine the most trusted health information source, the most frequently accessed health information source, and health literacy of older adults within Metro Manila. @*Methods@#This study employed a quantitative non-experimental design utilizing correlational and descriptive approaches. Convenience sampling was utilized via Facebook to recruit participants. The survey was adapted from four different questionnaires and went through reliability testing and expert validation. @*Results@#The researchers collected responses from a total of 123 participants. The participants were noted to have an overall high level of acceptance for the COVID-19 vaccine ( 4.10, SD ± 0.22). The study revealed that doctors were the highly trusted health information source (( =3.69, SD ± 1.30), followed by government health agencies (( =3.18, SD ± 0.73), whereas religious organizations and leaders (( =2.45, SD ± 0.48) were the least trusted sources. However, despite being the least trusted source, religious organizations and leaders were shown to be positively related (p=0.049) and highly predictive of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. The most frequently accessed health information source, health workers, have a weak correlation (r=.323) and were found to be significantly positively related (p=0.008) and highly predictive of the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. The credibility of health information sources is likely to influence their selection, influencing decisions and behaviors.

Factors Related to Low COVID-19 Vaccination Rate in Pregnant and Postpartum Women with and without COVID-19 / Fatores relacionados à baixa taxa de vacinação contra COVID-19 em gestantes e puérperas com e sem COVID-19

Abstract Objective This study focused on pregnant and postpartum women during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to determine the attitudes and behaviors of vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, and the vaccination behaviors in the groups with and without the disease. The reasons for refusing the vaccine were also questioned. Methods This cross-sectional study was performed from September 2021 to October 2021. The study data were collected using a face-to-face questionnaire. The participants were pregnant women who applied to the hospital for routine antenatal care and were hospitalized, and women in the postpartum period. Additionally, pregnant and postpartum patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 at the time of admission and were hospitalized and admitted to the intensive care unit due to this disease were also included in the study. Results A total of 1,146 pregnant and postpartum women who completed the questionnaire were included in our study. Only 43 (3.8%) of the participants were vaccinated; 154 (13.4%) of the participants had comorbidities. The number of COVID-19-positive patients was 153. The lack of sufficient information about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine is the most common reason for the refusal. Conclusion Vaccine refusal can significantly delay or hinder herd immunity, resulting in higher morbidity and mortality. Considering the adverse effects of COVID-19 on pregnancy, it is essential to understand pregnant and postpartum women's perceptions toward vaccination to end the pandemic.

Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance amongst doctors practising in Cross River State, Nigeria

Background: COVID-19 vaccine is one of the most effective public health intervention approaches for prevention of COVID-19. Despite its well-known efficacy and safety, significant proportion of frontline COVID-19 healthcare workers remain hesitant about accepting the vaccine for whatever reasons. This study aimed to determine acceptance rate and determinants of vaccine refusal among doctors in Cross River State, Nigeria. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional survey of doctors using structured online questionnaire administered via the WhatsApp platform of the medical doctors' association, in order to assess their rate of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines, and reasons for vaccine refusal. The predictors of vaccine acceptance were analysed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Of the 443 medical doctors targeted on the WhatsApp platform, 164 responded to the questionnaire survey, giving a response rate of 37.0% (164/443). The mean age of the respondents is 38 ±6.28 years, 91 (55.5%) are 38 years old and above, 97 (59.1%) are males and 67 (40.9%) are females, giving a male-to-female ratio of 1.4:1. The greater proportion of the respondents are physicians (70/148, 47.3%) and about three-quarter of the participants (127/164, 77.4%) had received COVID-19 vaccine. The proportion of physicians who had received COVID-19 vaccine (57/70, 81.4%) was more than the proportion of general practitioners (31/42, 73.8%) and surgeons (24/35, 68.6%). Low perceived benefit of vaccination was the main reason given for COVID-19 vaccine refusal (45.9%, 17/37). No significant association was found between vaccine refusal and suspected predictors (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our study revealed high rate of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among medical doctors especially among the physicians, with the surgeons showing lowest acceptance rate. A significant proportion would not take vaccine because they perceived it lacks much benefits. To raise vaccine acceptance among doctors, more efforts on vaccine literacy that would target doctors from all sub-specialties especially surgeons and incorporate vaccine benefits should be made.

Regional differences in online interest in COVID-19 infection and COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy: A Google Trends analysis / Philippine Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Background@#With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, pregnant women may turn to online information searches regarding COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination. @*Objective@#We aimed to determine global online interest in COVID-19 infection and COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy. @*Materials and Methods@#We utilized Google Trends data to determine the global search volume index (SVI) for the search terms “COVID-19 in pregnancy” and “COVID vaccine pregnancy” from January 1, 2020, to February 12, 2022, and ranked the top 15 search queries via their individual SVIs to assess the worldwide distribution of interest. Using Pearson correlation, we correlated several economic and pandemic-related country-specific data with the SVIs for the two search terms, while we utilized a one-way analysis of variance to country income groups with the SVIs using ANOVA. Significant correlations were denoted with P < 0.05.@*Results@#SVI for “COVID-19” in pregnancy showed a minimal and nonsignificant downward trend in 2022. SVI for this search term was positively correlated with the SVI for “COVID vaccine pregnancy” (P < 0.05). On the other hand, SVI for “COVID vaccine in pregnancy” showed an exponential decline from November 2020 to 2022. SVI for this search term was also negatively correlated with deaths per 100,000 cases (P < 0.05). Although this was nonsignificant, high-income countries showed higher online interest with the two search terms than low- to low-middle-income countries. There were no significant correlations among specific economic and pandemic-related country-specific data and SVI for both search terms. @*Conclusion@#We observed a constant online interest in COVID-19 in pregnancy during the time period of the study, which may reflect the watchful engagement of people in the absence of face-to-face physician consultations. Peak online interest in COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy declined steadily, which may reflect either vaccine hesitancy or an increase in public knowledge of COVID-19 vaccines. High-income countries have apparently higher online interest in COVID-19 vaccines, which may be due to access to early mass administration to the general public. These data can be used as a reference regarding future policy-making in the setting of potentially massive public health emergency in the future.

Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination in India after the First Phase-Out: A Cross-Sectional Community-Based Study

Background?India rolled out the world's largest vaccination program on January 16, 2021, marking the beginning of an effort to vaccinate a population of 1.3 billion against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. However, the hesitancy toward safe and effective vaccine against severe infection is a major global health threat. Hence, public acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine would be an essential deterrent to the pandemic control. Materials and Methods?A cross-sectional online study was conducted among the Indians from January 1 to January 31, 2021. The online questionnaire addressed several variables, including the sociodemographic parameters, COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, and concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccine. Results?Out of total 450 participants, majority of them (97.1) were aware about the COVID-19 vaccination drive. Only 66.2% showed their willingness to accept vaccination, 26.0% were still indecisive, and 7.8% did not want to accept it. Conclusion?Despite numerous efforts by various scientific organizations, public health experts, and media outlets, to educate the general population about the COVID-19 vaccine, significant portion of the Indian population may experience vaccine hesitancy, which poses dangers to both the individual and their community. Therefore, we must target these potential candidates, who are indecisive, for intervention to increase vaccine acceptance across the country. In this regard, large-scale study is required to understand the knowledge, expectation, and apprehension covering various economic and occupational strata of the society.

Are the COVID Warriors Confident about COVID Vaccine? A Survey among the Healthcare Workers of West Bengal to Explore their Perception about COVID-19 Vaccine and causes of Vaccine Hesitancy

Introduction : Deaths of Healthcare Workers (HCWs) from COVID-19 infection were reported from various parts of West Bengal months after rolling out of Vaccines for them. Empirical data suggested that those HCWs who died due to COVID- 19 were either not vaccinated or partially vaccinated. which points to Vaccine hesitancy among them. Objectives : (1) To study the perception of HCWs of West Bengal about COVID-19 Vaccine. (2) To determine the level of vaccine hesitancy and its causes among the study population. Methods : A cross sectional exploratory survey was conducted on 400 HCWs. A prevalidated questionnaire was administered which contained questions on profile of the study population, perception about COVID-19 Vaccine, Vaccine hesitancy. Results : 70% of the study population were nurses and only 13% were trained in COVID-19 Vaccination. 44% chose Mask as the most effective strategy to prevent COVID infection followed by Vaccination (36%), social distancing and sanitization. 37% HCWss were hesitant to take Vaccine when offered. Causes of Vaccine hesitancy as admitted by the study population - doubts about Vaccine effectiveness (56%), concern about side effects (30%), difficulty in availability of Vaccine (9%) and confusion about Vaccination strategy (5%). Conclusion : Vaccine confidence among HCWs can inspire the general public for a better coverage of Vaccine among all. The findings of this study will help the program managers to effectively plan strategies to enhance risk perception and Vaccine confidence among General Public.

Acceptability of Covid-19 Vaccines and the Associated Factors That Influence the Decisions of Healthcare Workers in Jordan

@#Introduction: This study examined the factors that influence healthcare workers’ decisions regarding COVID-19 vaccines’ acceptability in Jordan. It also examined the impact of perceived risks of the vaccine on healthcare workers’ decisions toward accepting it. Methods: Jordanian healthcare workers in governmental and private hospitals completed a cross-sectional online questionnaire. Results: A total of 904 respondents (age, 35.04 ± 9.07 years) completed the survey. The results indicate that most participants (88.9%) were at risk of contracting COVID-19, and many (51.4%) were afraid of contracting it. Moreover, 48.3% of healthcare professionals stated they would get vaccinated against COVID-19. Furthermore, most of the healthcare workers in this study perceived the vaccine as neither safe nor effective and that it could have serious side effects. At last, in terms of afraid of contracting COVID-19, the gender of the healthcare worker and his/her profession was identified to be the most influential factors in the decision to accept the vaccine. Conclusion: Our findings emphasize the ongoing need for government agencies to provide accurate and consistent information that is essential in developing trust in the vaccination program. Nurses can lead campaigns to inform the healthcare workers about the efficacy, safety, and the impact of COVID-19 vaccine in limiting the spread of this pandemic among them. We recommend that nursing council lead these efforts to improve knowledge about the vaccine and its impact on the safety of the healthcare workers and the public.

Factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among adult patients in primary care clinics in Laguna, Las Piñas and Parañaque: A cross sectional study

Background@#Since its surfacing in 2019, COVID-19 has spread all over the world and became an international concern. Vaccines against COVID-19 are expected to be the key in controlling this pandemic. To achieve this, studying factors that affect COVID-19 vaccine acceptance is crucial in order to increase the vaccine uptake rate of Filipinos to attain herd immunity.@*Objective@#The study aimed to determine the factors affecting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among adult patients in primary care clinics in Laguna, Las Piñas and Parañaque.@*Methods@#This cross-sectional study was conducted last June 2021 with 137 adult patients from 6 clinics. The participants were given self-administered questionnaires containing items on sociodemographic profile and perception on vaccines. MS Excel and IBM SPSS were used for statistical analysis. Categorical variables were summarized as frequencies and percentages and continuous variables as means and standard deviations. Chi square was used to compare outcomes. Variables with statistically significant differences (p-value of <0.05) were included in multinomial regression analysis to determine association with vaccine acceptance.@*Results@#Residence (p=0.0166), educational level (p=0.017), perceived effectiveness of vaccines to prevent and control COVID-19 (p=0.001), safety (p=0.001), doctor’s recommendation (p=0.039), risk of being infected (p=0.025) and refusal of any type of vaccine in the past (p=0.003) were associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.@*Conclusion@#Through this study, the authors found that most of the respondents are willing to get vaccinated regardless of their sociodemographic characteristics. Concerns about vaccine availability and accessibility can hinder the promotion of vaccine uptake in the future. This study can be used as a basis for development and planning of COVID -19 vaccination programs.

Factors associated with willingness of parents to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 in primary care clinics in Cavite: A cross-sectional study

Background@#The recent inclusion of the pediatric population aged 12-17 years old in the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the country is necessary in order to increase vaccine coverage, and eventually achieve herd immunity. Vaccination of those in this age group is dependent on the vaccine acceptance of their parents or respective caregivers.@*Objective@#The study’s primary aim was to determine factors associated with parents’ intent to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. Specifically, this study aims to determine: 1. parent and child factors that influence the parents willingness to have their children vaccinated, 2. external factors in the decision to vaccinate their children, that is, if it is recommended by the doctor or school, and 3. concerns of parents regarding vaccination@*Methods@#A multi-clinic cross-sectional analytic study design was used. Respondents were parents in select Healthway Family Clinics in Cavite. Data were gathered via self-administered questionnaires, adapted and modified with permission from the authors of The COVID States Project. Data were analyzed using Epi Info 7.@*Results@#Among 350 respondents, 73.71% are most likely to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 once the vaccine becomes available to them. The major parental concerns are: long term health effects (56.29%), whether it has been tested enough (54.86%), immediate side effects (54.57%), and whether the vaccine actually works (54%). There is an association between the willingness of parents to vaccinate their children with the age and COVID-19 vaccination status of parent, and age and EPI immunization status of the child. Parents consider doctors’ and school’s recommendations to be very important factors in their decision to vaccinate their children@*Conclusion@#Majority of participants are likely to have their children vaccinated. Knowledge of associated factors and parental concerns gives the researchers better understanding of vaccine hesitancy amongst parents. This is vital to promote vaccination in the clinic setting, and on a much larger scale, in the local and national government’s public health strategies.

Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among Nigerian medical doctors

Background: Since its discovery in late 2019, COVID-19 has claimed approximately three million lives worldwide, causing a significant economic burden and strain on health care delivery and services. Therefore, the COVID-19 vaccine may offer the potential to promote global recovery. Objective: To determine the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine among Nigerian doctors and the factors influencing the acceptance. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, an anonymous online survey was administered to medical doctors across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria between 13 January and 31 January 2021, using the health belief model (HBM). Results: Out of 830 respondents, 38.8% were willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine, 36.0% were unsure, while the remaining 26.5% refused to take the vaccine. Following adjustments, males were more likely to take the vaccine (OR = 3.357; 95% CI 2.009-5.610; p = 0.0001), whereas increasing age, higher perceived viral virulence and perceived viral infectivity were observed to be significantly associated with less likelihood of accepting the vaccine. Respondents who believed in the efficacy of ivermectin were much less likely to receive the vaccine (OR = 0.217; 95% CI 0.108-0.436; p=0.001). Concerns on vaccination safety were the main barriers to vaccine acceptability. Hypothetically addressing these concerns increased vaccine acceptance rates by approximately a third (34.6%) (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The proposed nationwide distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine may be met with poor vaccine acceptability among Nigerian medical practitioners. Measures specifically addressing vaccine safety concerns should be provided to allay fears and enhance the acceptability of the vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and its determinants in the Bono Region of Ghana

Objective: The study assessed willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine among out-patient department (OPD) attendants in the Bono Region in Ghana. Design: This was an analytical cross-sectional study Setting: The study was conducted at the Wenchi Methodist Hospital (WMH) OPD, Bono Region, Ghana. The region had not yet been earmarked for vaccination at the time of the study. Participants: Three hundred and twenty-five (325) participants aged ≥18 years, accessing care at the OPD of WMH and willing to give informed consent, were interviewed.Main outcome measures: The proportion of participants willing to accept the COVID-19 vaccine and its determinants. Results: Of 325 participants interviewed, 32 (9.8%) had been vaccinated already. 82.6% (242/293) indicated COVID19 vaccine acceptance among the unvaccinated. The major reason for vaccine acceptance was "it could protect against COVID-19" (96.7%, 234/242). "Fear of vaccine side effects and "perception of not being susceptible to COVID-19" were among the reasons for vaccine refusal. Perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 (AOR 4.09, 95% CI 1.79, 9.34), knowledge of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccine (AOR 3.62, 95% CI 1.14, 11.46) and willingness to pay for the vaccine (AOR 5.20, 95% CI 2.49, 10.43) were associated with vaccine acceptance. Conclusions: Adequate knowledge of COVID-19 and the vaccine may drive vaccine acceptance in the study area and possibly other areas in Ghana. Campaign messages aimed at increasing COVID-19 vaccine coverage must emphasise its safety, likely side effects and management in order to help rid the population of misconceptions

COVID-19 vaccination knowledge, attitudes, risk perception, and intention among health workers in a district in Manila, Philippines

Background@#Vaccination is an effective public health measure. Health workers, who are at risk of acquiring infectious diseases due to their occupation, are important targets of vaccination. However, previous studies have shown varying rates of vaccine uptake among health workers. @*Objective@#This study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes, risk perceptions, and intention towards COVID-19 and vaccination of Filipino health workers in the city of Manila, Philippines. @*Methodology@#The study employed a sequential mixed methods design. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on the study variables. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the level of COVID-related knowledge, attitude, risk perception, and intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Logistic regression was performed to identify the factors that were associated with intention. @*Results@#Majority (89.4%) had a good knowledge of COVID-19 but had little to moderate knowledge of COVID-19 vaccines. Around half reported feeling unsure about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines while the remaining half expressed intent to get the vaccine. Logistic regression analysis showed that the odds of intention to get vaccinated were higher among those with positive perceived self-efficacy, behavioral intention, external cues to action, perceived vaccine efficacy, and good knowledge on COVID-19 infection prevention. @*Conclusion@#Health workers play a crucial role in the promotion of public health measures such as vaccination to control the spread of COVID-19. The study confirms the need for strengthening education and communication strategies focusing on the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines to prevent the spread of false information and promote vaccine uptake among health workers.

Association of knowledge and risk perceptions of Manila City school teachers with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance

Background and Objective@#In addressing vaccine acceptance, teachers may play a pivotal role as educators and models of behavior, as they serve as reliable sources of information. Thus, this study aimed to determine the association between knowledge and risk perception of teachers and their acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. @*Methodology@#This study utilized an analytic, cross-sectional design. Seven hundred and seven public secondary school teachers in Manila City, Philippines accomplished the online self-administered questionnaire. The study was guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM). Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. @*Results@#Respondents had a high knowledge on COVID-19 mode of transmission (95.2%), signs and symptoms (92.9%), diagnosis (57.6%), treatment (98.9%), and prevention (92.2%). They had a high risk perception (>69.2%) pertaining to four constructs (Perceived Susceptibility, Perceived Severity, Perceived Benefits, Cues to Action) of the HBM. Low risk perception of barriers was observed (66.1%). The majority (92.5%) are willing to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. Respondents who teach health-related subjects (94.4%) garnered more vaccine acceptors compared to teachers of non-health-related subjects (91.6%). After adjusting for sex, age, highest educational attainment, and subjects taught, Cues to Action remained to be associated with COVID- 19 vaccine acceptance. @*Conclusion@#Although high levels of knowledge and risk perceptions were observed, only Cues to Action had a significant association with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Hence, they need external cues, from physicians or the Food and Drug Administration, to accept the COVID-19 vaccine.

Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and encountered side-effects among the vaccinated in Bangladesh

Objective: To identify the acceptance of the vaccine based on factors influencing the vaccination program and the side effects from vaccinated people. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of 1 529 Bangladeshi adults (≥18 years) was conducted between 17 April, 2021 and 26 April, 2021. Statistical analysis of the data included Chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results: In total, 67.04% of the participants were willing to accept a COVID-19 vaccine, and 45.00% of them in our study had already received. Overall Bangladeshi people were more likely to accept COVID-19 vaccine if the vaccine reduces risk of infectious disease and has no associated health risk after receiving it. Among the respondents, religions, education level, living area (urban), belif that vaccines protect against infectious diseases and vaccines do not have health-related risk and vaccination was significantly associated with the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines. Conversely, people's perception on development of natural immunity rather than receiving vaccines was also positively reflected. More than half (57.41%) reported minor side effects such as fever, muscle pain and headache after getting vaccine shots. Conclusions: This study revealed that the acceptance rate was influenced by socio-demographic and health-related characteristics and people are not afraid of this vaccine if they faced minor side effects after receiving it. These findings might help the government and policymakers of Bangladesh to implement necessary steps to accomplish this vaccination program effectively.

Vaccine refusal - what we need to know / Recusa vacinal - que é preciso saber

Abstract Objective: Opposition to vaccines is not a new event, and appeared soon after the introduction of the smallpox vaccine in the late 18th century. The purpose of this review is to educate healthcare professionals about vaccine hesitancy and refusal, its causes and consequences, and make suggestions to address this challenge. Source of data: A comprehensive and non-systematic search was carried out in the PubMed, LILACS, and ScieLo databases from 1980 to the present day, using the terms "vaccine refusal," "vaccine hesitancy," and "vaccine confidence." The publications considered as the most relevant by the author were critically selected. Synthesis of data: The beliefs and arguments of the anti-vaccine movements have remained unchanged in the past two centuries, but new social media has facilitated the dissemination of information against vaccines. Studies on the subject have intensified after 2010, but the author did not retrieve any published studies to quantify this behavior in Brazil. The nomenclature on the subject (vaccine hesitancy) was standardized by the World Health Organization in 2012. Discussions have been carried out on the possible causes of vaccine hesitancy and refusal, as well as on the behavior of families and health professionals. Proposals for interventions to decrease public doubts, clarify myths, and improve confidence in vaccines have been made. Guides for the health care professional to face the problem are emerging. Conclusions: The healthcare professional is a key element to transmit information, resolve doubts and increase confidence in vaccines. They must be prepared to face this new challenge.

Resumo Objetivo: Oposição às vacinas não é evento novo e surgiu logo após a introdução da vacina contra varíola no fim do século XVIII. O objetivo desta revisão é esclarecer os profissionais de saúde sobre hesitação e recusa vacinal, suas causas e consequências e fazer sugestões para enfrentar esse desafio. Fonte dos dados: Foi feita busca abrangente e não sistemática nas bases de dados PubMed, Lilacs e Scielo desde 1980 até o presente, com os termos "recusa vacinal", "hesitação vacinal" e "confiança nas vacinas". Foram selecionadas de forma crítica as publicações avaliadas como mais relevantes pela autora. Síntese dos dados: As crenças e os argumentos dos movimentos antivacinas mantiveram-se inalterados nos dois últimos séculos, mas as novas mídias sociais facilitaram a disseminação das informações contra as vacinas. Os estudos sobre o assunto se intensificaram depois de 2010, mas não foram identificados estudos publicados que permitam quantificar esse comportamento no Brasil. A nomenclatura sobre o tema (hesitação vacinal) foi uniformizada pela Organização Mundial de Saúde em 2012. Pesquisas têm sido feitas sobre as possíveis causas da hesitação e recusa vacinal, e também sobre o comportamento das famílias e dos profissionais da saúde. Propostas de intervenções para diminuir as dúvidas da população, esclarecer mitos e melhorar a confiança nas vacinas têm sido feitas. Guias para o profissional de saúde enfrentar o problema estão surgindo. Conclusões: O profissional de saúde é elemento fundamental para transmitir informações, combater as dúvidas e fortalecer a confiança nas vacinas. Eles devem se preparar para enfrentar esse novo desafio.

Dengue vaccine acceptance and associated factors among parents and caregivers at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center outpatient department: A hospital-based cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND@#The DOH has recently launched the first ever dengue vaccine that has successfully completed phase III clinical trials but an assessment of the general acceptance of the vaccine is widely lacking. @*OBJECTIVES@# This study determined the dengue vaccine acceptance and the factors associated with acceptance as well as the knowledge, attitudes and practices on dengue fever among parents and caregivers at the PCMC-OPD.@*METHODS@#A hospital-based cross-sectional survey was done at the PCMC-OPD using selfadministered questionnaires regarding the KAP on dengue fever and vaccine acceptance. Multivariate analysis and Spearman’s rank correlation were used to determine predictors of DV acceptance.@*RESULTS@#We found that DV acceptance among the participants was 81.3% (113 out of 139). Educational attainment, employment status, and monthly income are significantly associated with acceptance of dengue vaccine, and being female contributed to high acceptance. DV acceptance was strongly correlated with a lower income class. Educational attainment and employment status seem to affect DV acceptance but are not strong predictors.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The DV acceptance rate of the parents and caregivers of patients consulting at PCMC-OPD was high. The most important factors associated with acceptance are educational attainment, employment status and income class.@*RECOMMENDATIONS@#A similar study may be conducted with a larger population to study target populations in the Philippines. This kind of study can be utilized to formulate new strategies addressing the awareness and acceptance of the community for the new dengue vaccine.

Características del adulto mayor que acepta ser vacunado contra la influenza en San Luis Tlaxialtemalco-2004 / Characteristics of the older adult who accepts being vaccinated against influenza in San Luis Tlaxialtemalco 2004

La influenza es una enfermedad aguda viral en las vías respiratorias altas capaz de provocar complicaciones potencialmente letales en pacientes ancianos. La vacunación anual es la intervención de salud más importante para reducir el impacto de la influenza. Existen diversos factores que influyen para la aceptación o rechazo de la aplicación de la vacuna. EI propósito de este estudio fue determinar las características de la población que acepta la vacuna de la influenza e identificar grupos de población que presentan riesgo, especialmente de no vacunarse en la comunidad de San Luis Tlaxialtemalco. EI estudio fue descriptivo y transversal. Con una muestra no probabilística y conformada por 48 personas de 60 y más años de edad. Se aplicó una encuesta estructurada de 25 preguntas y diferentes escalas. En cuanto a los resultados, el 84.48% aceptó la aplicación de la vacuna de la influenza. EI 81 .3% desconoce la enfermedad de la influenza, el 77.1 % cree que la influenza es grave, el 64.6% desconocía la vacuna contra la influenza, el 97.9% cree que previene la influenza y el 85.4% cree que la vacuna no le ocasionara problemas. Los factores que influyeron para la aceptación de la vacuna y en cuanto a quien se la recomendó el 31.3% refieren que fue la Enfermera y al 43.8% nadie.

Influenza is a high respitatory tract viral accute disease able to bring about potentially fatal complications in elderly patients. Theannual vaccination is the most important health intervention for decreasing the flu impact. There are several factors influencing the vaccine aplication acceptance or rejection. This study aims determining characteristics of the population that accepts the influenza vaccine and identifying in-risk population groups in the event they don´t receive it within San Luis Tlaxialtemalco area. It was a descriptive transversal study witha no-probalistic sample including 48 people, 60or more years old. A strctured survey with 25 questions and different scales. Regarding outcomes, 84.48% accepted the influenza vaccine application. The 81.3% are not familiar with influenza disease, 77.1% believes the flu is grave, 64.6% is not familiar with the influenza vaccine, 97.9% believes they are taking preventive actions for the influenza, and 85.4% thinks the influenza caccine will not cause them any problems, which is influencing on the vaccine acceptance. Regarding the person who recommended them the influenza vaccine, 31.3% said was the nurse and 43.8% said nobody did.