ABSTRACT
Background Multiple media platforms and various resources are available for information on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Identifying people's preferences is key to building public confidence and planning for successful national or regional health intervention strategies. Methods Using exploratory mixed-methods including a short survey, interviews and participant observation, this cross-sectional study of 160 respondents from the Ghanaian-Dutch, Afro and Hindustani Surinamese-Dutch communities in Amsterdam, the Netherlands was conducted. Data collected between February to April 2021, included demographics characteristics, knowledge, opinions, preferred source of information, behavioral factors, and information gaps on COVID-19 prevention measures, responses and decision-making of respondents. Descriptive statistics and follow-up in-depth interviews were conducted to determine the relationship between respondents' demographics, information sources, and attitudes/behaviors toward COVID-19. Results The findings of this study indicated that although many of the respondents from these communities had good knowledge on COVID-19, its modes of transmission and prevention measures, their willingness to take up initiatives and prioritize self responsibility toward their health are tied to their communal life. The respondents in this study demonstrated high value for social lives and relied on their connections with friends and families in shaping, obtaining, processing and utilizing COVID-19 information to build a sense of responsibility toward the uptake of COVID-19 prevention measures despite recent decline in number of cases. Conclusion This sense of responsibility means their active participation and ownership of interventions to address the specific personal concerns and that of their community. However, different factors play influential roles toward the behavior choices of our respondents regarding the COVID-19 prevention.
ABSTRACT
Background: Multiple media platforms and various resources are available for information on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Identifying people's preferences is key to building public confidence and planning for successful national or regional health intervention strategies. Methods: Using exploratory mixed-methods including a short survey, interviews and participant observation, this cross-sectional study of 160 respondents from the Ghanaian-Dutch, Afro and Hindustani Surinamese-Dutch communities in Amsterdam, the Netherlands was conducted. Data collected between February to April 2021, included demographics characteristics, knowledge, opinions, preferred source of information, behavioral factors, and information gaps on COVID-19 prevention measures, responses and decision-making of respondents. Descriptive statistics and follow-up in-depth interviews were conducted to determine the relationship between respondents' demographics, information sources, and attitudes/behaviors toward COVID-19. Results: The findings of this study indicated that although many of the respondents from these communities had good knowledge on COVID-19, its modes of transmission and prevention measures, their willingness to take up initiatives and prioritize self responsibility toward their health are tied to their communal life. The respondents in this study demonstrated high value for social lives and relied on their connections with friends and families in shaping, obtaining, processing and utilizing COVID-19 information to build a sense of responsibility toward the uptake of COVID-19 prevention measures despite recent decline in number of cases. Conclusion: This sense of responsibility means their active participation and ownership of interventions to address the specific personal concerns and that of their community. However, different factors play influential roles toward the behavior choices of our respondents regarding the COVID-19 prevention.
ABSTRACT
The outbreak of the deadly novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has disrupted life worldwide in an unprecedented manner. Over the period, scientific breakthroughs have resulted in the rollout of many vaccination programmes to protect against the disease, reduce the fear and ease public health restrictions for lives to return to some normalcy. The aim of this study was to identify the factors responsible for COVID-19 vaccine acceptance or vaccine hesitancy and to develop a framework to improve vaccine uptake in the Ghanaian-Dutch, Afro and Hindustani Surinamese-Dutch communities in Amsterdam. Using a mixed method approach, this community-based cross-sectional survey recruited 160 respondents consisting of 57 Ghanaian-Dutch, 54 Afro Surinamese-Dutch and 49 Hindustani-Dutch residents in Amsterdam. Our findings showed that the choice of a vaccine as well as the likelihood of self-reported willingness to receive a vaccine is highly dependent on vaccine efficacy and safety. Available evidence of high vaccine effectiveness and safety could encourage about 41.3% of the respondents to accept the vaccine. Additionally, 69.6% of the respondents indicated their willingness to accept the vaccine when vaccine passports are made mandatory by the government. Other major factors that could drive the likelihood of accepting the COVID-19 vaccine include travel requirement for vaccination (28.3%), the safety/probability of only minor side effects (26.1%) and recommendation by family and friends (15.2%). The study therefore provides systematic evidence of factors associated with individual preferences toward COVID-19 vaccination. It demonstrates that the needs of each community are unique and specific interventional efforts are urgently needed to address concerns likely to be associated with vaccine hesitancy.