COVID 19 Vaccine Perception and Confidence Among Health Care Workers – An Analytic Cross Sectional Study, City of Harare, Zimbabwe, 2021 (preprint)

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Health care workers (HCWs) are among the priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination in Zimbabwe. This study was done to assess HCWs’ COVD-19 vaccine perceptions and confidence.Methodology: An analytic cross sectional study was conducted among HCWs from City of Harare health facilities. Data was collected using interviewer administered structured questionnaires which were developed using the Health Belief Model. STATA was used for data analysis. Kruskal-Wallis test and two sample Wilcoxon rank sum test were used to determine predictors of vaccine willingness.Results: A total of 513 participants were interviewed and 72·7% were females. The median age was 40 years (Q1=33, Q3=49). Nurses constituted the majority (46·8%). Social media was the leading source of COVID-19 vaccine information. The majority (92·2%) were at risk of contracting COVID-19 with 76·2% describing the risk as high. Of the participants, 20·2% were willing to receive the vaccine when it became available, 39·1% would wait and 40·7% would not at all receive the vaccine. COVID-19 vaccine perception score ranged from eight to 42. Significant predictors of willingness to receive the vaccine were sex (b= -1·689, P=0·01) and perception score (b= 0·172, P< 0·0001).Conclusion: Negative COVID-19 vaccine perceptions were demonstrated among the health care workers in the City of Harare and these were associated with unwillingness to be vaccinated. Targeted health education and COVID-19 vaccine awareness needs to be conducted among HCWs. Tailored strategies to address vaccine concerns raised in the study will decrease vaccine hesitancy.Funding: None to declare. Declaration of Interest None to declare.