ABSTRACT
Background: Healthcare students are among the group of frontline healthcare providers being exposed to COVID-19. As future healthcare providers, they will be responsible for recommending vaccination to their future patients and entrusted with counseling to their future vaccine-hesitant patients. Thus, it is very important to achieve high COVID-19 vaccination acceptance rates in these groups. This study aims to explore the level of the acceptability of a COVID-19 vaccine among healthcare students in India and determine the motivators and barriers factors that may affect vaccine acceptance decision-making. Method(s): After the second wave of the pandemic in 2021, an online cross-sectional questionnaire survey study was carried out among the intended population in many states of India. Bivariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression models were utilized to describe and formulate the frequency of all the variables, including the sociodemographic characteristics, and the factors associated with vaccine acceptance and hesitancy. Result(s): Among 596 respondents, 89.3% would willing to get accept a COVID-19 vaccine. Urban students were 2.5 times more willing to take vaccines compared to rural students. Motivator factors behind the willingness to get vaccinated were to know someone who had COVID-19 and wanted to protect own selves from COVID-19 (87.1%). Concerns regarding the COVID-19 vaccine's side effects (50%), poor vaccine efficacy (48.4%), unduly rapid vaccine development (39.1%), belief regarding the non-existence of COVID-19 (32%), and insufficient information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine's benefits (28.1%) as some of the possible barrier factors associated with hesitancy. Conclusion(s):The results highlight the need for an evidence-based educational interventional curriculum to provide adequate information regarding the Vaccine's safety/efficacy, promote uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine, and alleviate any fear/disbelief associated with the COVID-19 vaccine. Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine stakeholder perspectives regarding the lack of in-person externships and transition to a virtual urology residency interview format. The unprecedented disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic forced an abrupt pivot to a "virtual" Urology Match for the 2021 cycle. We aim for our study to inform ongoing deliberations on the future of the Urology Match. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following Urology Match day in February 2021, two surveys were distributed by the Society of Academic Urologists to all applicants and program directors (PDs) who participated in the 2021 Urology Match. RESULTS: Overall, 192 of 481 applicants (40%) and 63 of 160 PDs (39%) responded. Most applicants (67%) were satisfied with their match outcomes, although unmatched applicants were significantly more likely to be unsatisfied than matched applicants (98% vs 9%, P <.0001). Most PDs were equally (79%) or more satisfied (13%) with their match outcomes compared with prior years. Nearly all applicants (93%) and PDs (94%) recommended retaining an in-person externship option. Most applicants (61%) and PDs (71%) felt their outcomes would not have changed with in-person interviews. Applicants and PDs were evenly split as to whether interviews should be conducted in-person or virtually in the future. CONCLUSION: The vast majority of applicants and PDs recommended retaining in-person externships for future match cycles despite high costs. In contrast, there was ambivalence amongst both groups of stakeholders regarding the format of interviews for future match cycles. We recommend virtual interviews moving forward to help alleviate the financial burden placed on applicants and increase equity.