Main Article Content

Abstract

Background. Health care personnel constitute a group at high risk of contracting COVID-19. However, the vaccination rate in this group in our context remains low. The objective of our study was to determine the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among health care workers in Yaounde. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 360 health personnel in three hospitals in the city of Yaounde from January to March 2022, i.e., 3 months. All health personnel who gave their free consent were included. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethics and Research Committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of the University of Yaounde I. A logistic regression was performed to search for factors associated with reluctance to vaccinate, with a significance level of 0.05. Results. The vaccination rate against COVID-19 was 34% (123). Factors associated with vaccine hesitancy were female gender (OR [95% CI] =3.5[2.2-5.5]; p<0.001), working outside a COVID-19 management unit (OR [95% CI] =6, [2.1-18.5]; p=0.001), fear of the harmfulness of COVID-19 vaccines (OR [CI 95%] =2.7[1.7-4.2]; p<0.001), and doubt of vaccine efficacy (OR [CI 95%] =4.0[2.5-6.4]; p<0.001). Conclusion: Health personnel are still reluctant to vaccinate in our context. Factors associated with hesitancy to vaccination against COVID-19 could help deconstruct apprehensions.

Keywords

vaccination hesitancy COVID-19 health care workers vaccination hésitation COVID-19 personnels de santé

Article Details

How to Cite
Esther Voundi-Voundi, Elisabeth Songue, Junior Voundi-Voundi, Eric Georges Nseme, Haamit Abba-Kabir, & Joseph Kamgno. (2023). Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Health Personnel in Yaounde, Cameroon. HEALTH SCIENCES AND DISEASE, 24(2 Suppl 1). https://doi.org/10.5281/hsd.v24i2 Suppl 1.4277

References

  1. WHO.Over 10 000 healyh workers in Africa infected with COVID-19. WHO [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2022 Sep5]; Available from:https://www.afro.who.int/news/over-10 000 health-workers-africa-infected-covid-19.
  2. Harvey EJ. A lost cohort of medical students. Canadian Journal of Surgery 2020; 63(5), p. E489.
  3. CCOUSP, MINSANTE. COVID-19 situation report in Cameroon nº142. CCOUSP,MINSANTE[Internet].2022 [cited2022 Sept5] ;Available from :https://www.ccousp.cm
  4. Amani A, Njoh AA, Fouda AAB, Ndoula S, Abba-Kabir HM, Mossus T and al. The first 30 days of COVID-19 vaccination in Cameroon: Achievements, challenges, and lessons learned. The Pan African Medical Journal 2022, vol. 41.
  5. WHO. COVID-19: Occupational health and safety for health workers. COVID-19 Occup Heal Saf Heal Work. 2021 February:1-16.
  6. WHO.Professionals H. COVID-19 Vaccine. 2022 March; 2-7.
  7. Li X-H, Chen L, Pan Q-N, Liu J, Zhang X, Yi J-J and al. Vaccination status, acceptance, and knowledge toward a COVID-19 vaccine among healthcare workers: a cross-sectional survey in China. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2021; 17(11):4065-73.
  8. Rikitu TD, Shama AT, Feyisa BR, Ewunetu D A, Geta ET, Chego CM and al. COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Associated Factors Among Health Professionals in Ethiopia. Infect Drug Resist 2021; 14:5531-41.
  9. Sze S, Pan D, Nevill CR, Gray LJ, Martin CA, Nazareth J and al. Ethnicity and clinical outcomes in COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. EClinicalMedicine 2020; 29:100630.
  10. Huang Y-Z, Kuan C-C. Vaccination to reduce severe COVID-19 and mortality in COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2022; 26:1770-1776.
  11. Koh SWC, Liow Y, Loh VWK, Liew SJ, Chan Y-H, Young D. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among primary healthcare workers in Singapore. BMC Prim Care. 2022;23(1):1-9.
  12. Moucheraud C, Phiri K, Whitehead HS, Songo J, Lungu E, Chikuse E and al. Uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine among healthcare workers in Malawi. Int Health. 2022;1-8.
  13. Unroe KT, Evans R, Weaver L, Rusyniak D, Blackburn J. Willingness of Long-Term Care Staff to Receive a COVID-19 Vaccine: A Single State Survey. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2021; 69(3):593-9.
  14. Hamdan-Mansour AM, Abdallah MH, Khalifeh AH, AlShibi AN, Shaher HH, Hamdan-Mansour LA. Determinants of Healthcare Workers' Willingness to Receive COVID-19 Vaccination. Malaysian J Med Heal Sci. 2022; 18(1):5-13.