South African University Staff and Students’ Perspectives, Preferences, and Drivers of Hesitancy Regarding COVID-19 Vaccines: A Multi-Methods Study
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design and Setting
2.2. Sample Size
2.3. Recruitment and Data Collection
2.4. Data Analysis
3. Results
4. Discussion
Strengths and Limitations
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Attribute | Definition | Attribute Levels |
---|---|---|
Vaccination location | Location/venues where vaccine services are provided | Government–local clinic or hospital, mobile clinics |
Private hospital, family doctor, or pharmacy | ||
At a UKZN vaccination site | ||
Waiting time at vaccination site | Length of time taken to complete the vaccination process | 1 h |
3 h | ||
5 h | ||
Incentive for vaccination | An amount provided as reward for getting vaccinated | No fee or incentive |
ZAR 50 (USD 3.33) | ||
ZAR 350 (USD 23.28) | ||
Protection against serious infection (resulting in hospitalization, ICU admission, or death) | Percentage reduction in serious disease cases in a vaccinated group of people | Very effective (90%) |
Moderately Effective (70%) | ||
Partially Effective (50%) | ||
Vaccine origin | Country/Region where the vaccine was developed | USA/North America |
UK/Europe | ||
Russia | ||
China | ||
Number of doses | Number of vaccine shots required in order to complete the regimen | One dose |
Two doses | ||
Boosters required | Frequency of additional vaccine booster shots required | One vaccination provides life-long immunity (no boosters) |
A booster required every 5 years | ||
Annual booster vaccinations required |
Characteristic Measures | Staff (N) | Students (N) | Prefer Not to Answer (N) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gender | Male | 188 (34.8%) | 438 (34.7%) | 13 (39.4%) |
Female | 351 (64.9%) | 812 (64.3%) | 14 (42.4%) | |
Other | 1 (0.2%) | 5 (0.4%) | 1 (3%) | |
Prefer not to answer | 1 (0.2%) | 7 (0.6%) | 5 (15.2%) | |
Age | <35 years | 106 (19.6%) | 1140 (90.3%) | 15 (45.5%) |
35–49 years | 230 (42.5%) | 104 (8.2%) | 9 (27.3%) | |
50 years or older | 204 (37.7%) | 14 (1.1%) | 5 (15.2%) | |
Prefer not to answer | 1 (0.2%) | 4 (0.3%) | 4 (12.1%) | |
Race | African | 215 (39.7%) | 969 (76.8%) | 16 (48.5%) |
Coloured | 26 (4.8%) | 25 (1.9%) | 0 | |
Indian | 131 (24.2%) | 210 (16.6%) | 3 (9.1%) | |
White | 137 (25.3%) | 28 (2.2%) | 7 (21.2%) | |
Other | 6 (1.1%) | 9 (0.7%) | 1 (3%) | |
Prefer not to answer | 26 (4.8%) | 21 (1.7%) | 6 (18.2%) | |
Nationality | South African | 495 (91.5%) | 1,176 (93.2%) | 24 (72.7%) |
Non-South African | 44 (8.1%) | 78 (6.2%) | 3 (9.1%) | |
Prefer not to answer | 2 (0.4%) | 8 (0.6%) | 6 (18.2%) |
Characteristic Measures | Have You Ever Tested Positive for COVID-19? | Have You Been Vaccinated for COVID-19? | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes | No | Prefer Not to Answer | Yes | No | Prefer Not to Answer | ||
Staff/student | Staff | 80 (16.4%) | 403 (82.8%) | 4 (0.8%) | 429 (79.3%) | 94 (17.4%) | 17 (3.1%) |
Student | 126 (11.9%) | 923 (86.8%) | 14 (1.3%) | 716 (56.7%) | 455 (36.1%) | 71 (5.6%) | |
Prefer not to answer | 1 (3.6%) | 27 (96.4%) | 0 | 18 (54.6%) | 6 (18.2%) | 7 (21.2%) | |
Gender | Male | 69 (12.5%) | 476 (86.2%) | 7 (1.3%) | 385 (60.3%) | 208 (32.6%) | 36 (5.6%) |
Female | 137 (13.6%) | 862 (85.4%) | 11 (1.1%) | 767 (65.2%) | 343 (29.1%) | 55 (4.7%) | |
Other | 0 | 6 (100%) | 0 | 4 (57.1%) | 2 (28.6%) | 1 (14.3%) | |
Prefer not to answer | 1 (10%) | 9 (90%) | 0 | 7 (53.9%) | 2 (15.4%) | 3 (23.1%) | |
Age | <35 years | 119 (11.2%) | 928 (87.6%) | 13 (1.2%) | 708 (56.2%) | 458 (36.3%) | 78 (6.2%) |
35-49 years | 59 (18.9%) | 251 (80.2%) | 3 (100%) | 250 (72.9%) | 77 (22.5%) | 11 (3.2%) | |
50 years or older | 29 (14.5%) | 170 (85%) | 1 (0.5%) | 202 (90.6%) | 18 (8.1%) | 3 (1.4%) | |
Prefer not to answer | 0 | 4 (80%) | 1 (2%) | 3 (33.3%) | 2 (22.2%) | 3 (33.3%) |
COVID-19 Perspective | M | SD | p-Value | r | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
If I get COVID-19, I could get severe symptoms | Staff | 3.28 | 1.14 | 0.157 | −0.05 |
Student | 3.18 | 1.17 | |||
If I get severe symptoms, healthcare providers will take care of me | Staff | 3.78 | 0.92 | 0.139 | −0.17 |
Student | 3.69 | 1.04 | |||
I am worried about getting COVID-19 | Staff | 3.63 | 1.15 | 0.256 | 0.08 |
Student | 3.55 | 1.27 | |||
If I get COVID-19, I will die | Staff | 2.29 | 0.96 | 0.008 * | 0.08 |
Student | 2.14 | 0.97 | |||
I am happy with the measures implemented by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 | Staff | 3.20 | 1.16 | 0.286 | 0.06 |
Student | 3.27 | 1.19 | |||
I am happy with the measures implemented by UKZN to prevent the spread of COVID-19 | Staff | 3.66 | 1.08 | 0.001 * | 0.15 |
Student | 3.84 | 1.04 | |||
I can easily wear a mask when in public | Staff | 4.40 | 0.97 | 0.010 * | −0.14 |
Student | 4.52 | 0.82 | |||
I can easily socially distance when in public | Staff | 4.04 | 1.08 | 0.433 | −0.04 |
Student | 4.09 | 1.11 |
COVID-19 Vaccine Attitude | Mean | SD | p-Value | r | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Getting vaccinated could save my life | Staff | 4.04 | 1.20 | 0.001 * | 0.20 |
Student | 3.79 | 1.19 | |||
COVID-19 vaccines are effective | Staff | 3.90 | 1.11 | 0.001 * | 0.28 |
Student | 3.58 | 1.10 | |||
Pharmaceutical companies have developed safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines | Staff | 3.70 | 1.11 | 0.001 * | 0.17 |
Student | 3.51 | 1.07 | |||
Vaccines made in Europe or America are safer than those made in other countries | Staff | 2.67 | 0.97 | 0.237 | 0.06 |
Student | 2.60 | 0.97 | |||
COVID-19 vaccines carry more risks than other vaccines | Staff | 2.67 | 1.09 | 0.002 * | −0.17 |
Student | 2.85 | 1.04 | |||
The information I receive about COVID-19 vaccines from Government is reliable and trustworthy | Staff | 3.28 | 1.12 | 0.593 | −0.02 |
Student | 3.31 | 1.09 | |||
Getting vaccinated is a good way to protect my family from COVID-19 | Staff | 4.05 | 1.18 | 0.001 * | 0.17 |
Student | 3.84 | 1.18 | |||
I would do what my doctor or health care provider recommended about the COVID-19 | Staff | 4.04 | 1.00 | 0.295 | 0.05 |
Student | 3.98 | 1.01 | |||
I am concerned about serious adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccine | Staff | 3.14 | 1.26 | 0.001 * | −0.46 |
Student | 3.69 | 1.13 | |||
People should not be forced to get vaccinated | Staff | 3.02 | 1.45 | 0.001 * | −0.66 |
Student | 3.91 | 1.28 |
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George, G.; Strauss, M.; Lansdell, E.; Nadesan-Reddy, N.; Moroe, N.; Reddy, T.; Eshun-Wilsonova, I.; Moshabela, M. South African University Staff and Students’ Perspectives, Preferences, and Drivers of Hesitancy Regarding COVID-19 Vaccines: A Multi-Methods Study. Vaccines 2022, 10, 1250. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10081250
George G, Strauss M, Lansdell E, Nadesan-Reddy N, Moroe N, Reddy T, Eshun-Wilsonova I, Moshabela M. South African University Staff and Students’ Perspectives, Preferences, and Drivers of Hesitancy Regarding COVID-19 Vaccines: A Multi-Methods Study. Vaccines. 2022; 10(8):1250. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10081250
Chicago/Turabian StyleGeorge, Gavin, Michael Strauss, Emma Lansdell, Nisha Nadesan-Reddy, Nomfundo Moroe, Tarylee Reddy, Ingrid Eshun-Wilsonova, and Mosa Moshabela. 2022. "South African University Staff and Students’ Perspectives, Preferences, and Drivers of Hesitancy Regarding COVID-19 Vaccines: A Multi-Methods Study" Vaccines 10, no. 8: 1250. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10081250