The impact of vaccine information and other factors on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in the Thai population.

Increased misinformation circulating among the population during the COVID-10 pandemic can trigger rejection to take up vaccines. This study assesses the influence of vaccine information and other factors on vaccine acceptance in the Thai population. Between March and August 2021, six rounds of cross-sectional surveys through village health volunteer networks and online channels were conducted; as well as qualitative interviews with frontline health workers, patients with chronic diseases, and religious believers and leaders. Descriptive and multiple logistic regression with 95% level of confidence were used for survey findings while deductive thematic analysis was used for in-depth interview findings. Among the total 193,744 respondents, the initial COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate decreased from 60.3% in March 2021 to 44.0% in April 2021, then increased to 88.8% in August 2021. Participants who were able to differentiate true and false statements were 1.2 to 2.4 times more likely to accept vaccine than those who were not. Those who perceived a high risk of infection (Adjusted odds ratio; AOR = 2.6-4.7), perceived vaccine safety (AOR = 1.4-2.4), judged the importance of vaccination (AOR = 2.3-5.1), and had trust in vaccine manufacture (AOR = 1.9-3.2) were also more likely to accept the vaccine. Moreover, higher education (AOR = 1.6-4.1) and living in outbreak areas (AOR = 1.4-3.0) were significantly related to vaccine uptake, except in people with chronic diseases who tended not to accept the vaccine (AOR = 0.7-0.9). This study recommends effective infodemic management and comprehensive public communication, prioritising vulnerable groups such as those with a low level of education and people with chronic conditions. Communication through reliable channels can support higher vaccine acceptance and rapid vaccine rollout. Finally, regular monitoring of misinformation is important such as fact checking support, timely legal actions and specific debunking communication.

Patterns of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Thai 2021 National Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: Understanding patterns of physical activity and sedentary behavior is essential, but evidence from low- and middle-income countries remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of physical activity and sedentary behavior in the Thai population; their sociodemographic correlates; and the contribution of specific domains to total physical activity. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2021 Health Behavior Survey, a nationally representative survey, conducted by the Thailand National Statistical Office during the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical activity and sedentary behavior were assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. "Sufficiently active" was defined according to the World Health Organization guidelines. "Highly sedentary" was defined as sitting ≥7 hours per day. The contribution of work, transport, and recreational physical activity was determined as the proportion of total physical activity. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to determine the correlates of being sufficiently active and being highly sedentary. RESULTS: Of the total study population (N = 78,717), 71.9% were sufficiently active, whereas 75.8% were highly sedentary. Females, having a labor-intensive work, and living in Bangkok had a higher likelihood of being sufficiently active. Those with higher education and income levels, and living in Bangkok and the Central region had a greater likelihood of being highly sedentary. The work domain contributed the highest proportion toward physical activity (82.1%), followed by the recreation (10.0%) and transport domains (7.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Policies should focus on promoting transport and recreational physical activity and activity that can break up sedentary behavior among adults because when countries become technologically advanced, physical activity at work declines.