Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Influenza Vaccination Hesitancy and Acceptance among Healthcare Workers in Cape Town, South Africa

Samuel Muabe Alobwede
,
Elvis Kidzeru
ORCID logo ,
Patrick DeMarie Katoto
,
Evelyn Ngwa Lumngwena
,
Sara Cooper
,
Rene Goliathl
,
Amanda Jackson
,
Charles S Wiysonge
ORCID logo ,
Muki Shehu Shey
*
Version 1 : Received: 5 June 2022 / Approved: 8 June 2022 / Online: 8 June 2022 (10:03:21 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Alobwede, S.M.; Kidzeru, E.B.; Katoto, P.D.M.C.; Lumngwena, E.N.; Cooper, S.; Goliath, R.; Jackson, A.; Wiysonge, C.S.; Shey, M.S. Influenza Vaccination Uptake and Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in Early 2021 at the Start of the COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout in Cape Town, South Africa. Vaccines 2022, 10, 1176. Alobwede, S.M.; Kidzeru, E.B.; Katoto, P.D.M.C.; Lumngwena, E.N.; Cooper, S.; Goliath, R.; Jackson, A.; Wiysonge, C.S.; Shey, M.S. Influenza Vaccination Uptake and Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in Early 2021 at the Start of the COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout in Cape Town, South Africa. Vaccines 2022, 10, 1176.

Abstract

Vaccination attitudes among healthcare workers (HCWs) is a vital factor for measuring their level of vaccination uptake and intention to recommend vaccinations to their patients. To our knowledge, no study has been conducted in South Africa to assess hesitancy to influenza vaccines among HCWs. We used questionnaire adapted from Betsch and colleagues to conduct an online and face-to-face cross-sectional study among HCWs at the start of COVID-19 vaccine roll-out prior to the flu season. Main outcome was influenza vaccine hesitancy. We used multivariate logistic regression to assess predictors of influenza vaccine hesitancy. Of 401 participants, 64.5% were women, 49.2% nurses, and 12.5% physicians. A total of 54.9% were willing to accept vaccination, 20.4% were undecided, and 24.7% intended to refuse. Older participants above 17-25 years and physicians were likely to receive the vaccine. Key predictors of vaccine acceptance were confidence in the effectiveness, consideration of benefits and risks, and willingness to be vaccinated to protect others. Influenza vaccine hesitancy was highest in those who did not trust that influenza vaccines are safe. For future flu seasons, tailored education programs targeting younger HCWs and more information about the composition of flu vaccines would be vital to improve vaccine uptake.

Keywords

Influenza vaccines; Vaccine hesitancy; Healthcare workers (HCWs); South Africa

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Immunology and Allergy

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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