COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Hesitancy (VBH) of Healthcare Workers
in Czechia: National Cross-Sectional Study

J 2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Hesitancy (VBH) of Healthcare Workers in Czechia: National Cross-Sectional Study

KLUGAR, Miloslav, Abanoub RIAD, Lekshmi MOHANAN and Andrea POKORNÁ

Basic information

Original name

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Hesitancy (VBH) of Healthcare Workers in Czechia: National Cross-Sectional Study

Authors

KLUGAR, Miloslav (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Abanoub RIAD (818 Egypt, belonging to the institution), Lekshmi MOHANAN (356 India, belonging to the institution) and Andrea POKORNÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Vaccines, Basel, MDPI, 2021, 2076-393X

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

30102 Immunology

Country of publisher

Switzerland

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 4.961

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14110/21:00123186

Organization unit

Faculty of Medicine

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9121437

UT WoS

000778380900001

Keywords in English

boosterimmunization; COVID-19 vaccines; Czechia; decision making; health personnel

Abstract

V originále

The emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and waning vaccine-elicited immunity are two public health challenges that occurred simultaneously and synergistically during the summer of 2021 and led to a surging demand for COVID-19 vaccine booster dose (BD) rollout. This study aimed to evaluate the COVID-19 vaccine booster hesitancy (VBH) among Czech healthcare workers to explore the potential determinants of VBH. A national cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out between 3 and 11 November 2021, using an online self-administered questionnaire (SAQ) that explored the participants’ demographic characteristics, COVID-19 infection and vaccine anamneses, willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccine BD, and the psychosocial drivers of VBH. A total of 3454 HCW properly responded to the online SAQ, of which 80.9% were females, 30.3% were medical professionals, and 50.5% were ≤47 years old. Most of the participants were already inoculated against SARS-CoV-2 (95.2%), and BTN162b2 was the most commonly administered vaccine (90.7%). As the study sample was planned to represent the target population, it revealed a high level of BD acceptance (71.3%) among Czech HCW, while 12.2% were still hesitant and 16.6% were against the currently available BD. These results are consistent with other recent results from central Europe. Medical professional, male, and older participants were more likely to accept BD rather than allied health professional, female, and younger participants. The BDs’ perceived effectiveness against severe illness, symptomatic infection, and community transmission was a significant and strong predictor for BD acceptance, while the effectiveness against the circulating variants was not that important for our target population. The BDs’ perceived safety and ethical dilemmas of vaccine justice should be addressed sufficiently while communicating with HCW and other population groups. The altruistic reasons for BD acceptance, i.e., family protection, patient protection, and community health protection, underpin the recommendation of postponing the COVID-19 vaccine mandating in favour of stressing these altruistic concerns amid public health messaging.

Links

LTC20031, research and development project

Name: Towards an International Network for Evidence-based Research in Clinical Health Research in the Czech Republic

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR, INTER-COST

MUNI/A/1608/2020, interní kód MU

Name: Prohlubování znalostí v oblasti zdravotních rizik a benefitů výživy, prostředí a životního stylu III

Investor: Masaryk University

MUNI/IGA/1543/2020, interní kód MU

Name: Evidence-based Practice of Healthcare Professionals and Students in the Czech Republic (Acronym: Evidence-Based Practice in Czechia)

Investor: Masaryk University

Citovat

KLUGAR, Miloslav, Abanoub RIAD, Lekshmi MOHANAN and Andrea POKORNÁ. COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Hesitancy (VBH) of Healthcare Workers in Czechia: National Cross-Sectional Study. Vaccines. Basel: MDPI, 2021, vol. 9, No 12, p. 1-29. ISSN 2076-393X. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9121437.

@article{1808419,
   author = {Klugar, Miloslav and Riad, Abanoub and Mohanan, Lekshmi and Pokorná, Andrea},
   article_location = {Basel},
   article_number = {12},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9121437},
   keywords = {boosterimmunization; COVID-19 vaccines; Czechia; decision making; health personnel},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {2076-393X},
   journal = {Vaccines},
   title = {COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Hesitancy (VBH) of Healthcare Workers in Czechia: National Cross-Sectional Study},
   url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/12/1437},
   volume = {9},
   year = {2021}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1808419
AU  - Klugar, Miloslav - Riad, Abanoub - Mohanan, Lekshmi - Pokorná, Andrea
PY  - 2021
TI  - COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Hesitancy (VBH) of Healthcare Workers in Czechia: National Cross-Sectional Study
JF  - Vaccines
VL  - 9
IS  - 12
SP  - 1-29
EP  - 1-29
PB  - MDPI
SN  - 2076393X
KW  - boosterimmunization
KW  - COVID-19 vaccines
KW  - Czechia
KW  - decision making
KW  - health personnel
UR  - https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/12/1437
N2  - The emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and waning vaccine-elicited immunity are two public health challenges that occurred simultaneously and synergistically during the summer of 2021 and led to a surging demand for COVID-19 vaccine booster dose (BD) rollout. This study aimed to evaluate the COVID-19 vaccine booster hesitancy (VBH) among Czech healthcare workers to explore the potential determinants of VBH. A national cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out between 3 and 11 November 2021, using an online self-administered questionnaire (SAQ) that explored the participants’ demographic characteristics, COVID-19 infection and vaccine anamneses, willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccine BD, and the psychosocial drivers of VBH. A total of 3454 HCW properly responded to the online SAQ, of which 80.9% were females, 30.3% were medical professionals, and 50.5% were ≤47 years old. Most of the participants were already inoculated against SARS-CoV-2 (95.2%), and BTN162b2 was the most commonly administered vaccine (90.7%). As the study sample was planned to represent the target population, it revealed a high level of BD acceptance (71.3%) among Czech HCW, while 12.2% were still hesitant and 16.6% were against the currently available BD. These results are consistent with other recent results from central Europe. Medical professional, male, and older participants were more likely to accept BD rather than allied health professional, female, and younger participants. The BDs’ perceived effectiveness against severe illness, symptomatic infection, and community transmission was a significant and strong predictor for BD acceptance, while the effectiveness against the circulating variants was not that important for our target population. The BDs’ perceived safety and ethical dilemmas of vaccine justice should be addressed sufficiently while communicating with HCW and other population groups. The altruistic reasons for BD acceptance, i.e., family protection, patient protection, and community health protection, underpin the recommendation of postponing the COVID-19 vaccine mandating in favour of stressing these altruistic concerns amid public health messaging.
ER  -

KLUGAR, Miloslav, Abanoub RIAD, Lekshmi MOHANAN and Andrea POKORNÁ. COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Hesitancy (VBH) of Healthcare Workers in Czechia: National Cross-Sectional Study. \textit{Vaccines}. Basel: MDPI, 2021, vol.~9, No~12, p.~1-29. ISSN~2076-393X. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9121437.

Detailed Information on Publication Record