Vaccine Hesitancy in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Context of COVID-19 Vaccination Exercise: A Systematic Review
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methods
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Limitations
6. Conclusions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Article | Search | Selection Criteria | Information Retrieval | Quality Assessment | Major Outcomes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Afolabi and Ilesanmi [13] | PubMed (Journal article—Primary source) | COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Africa | Vaccine hesitancy is not a new concept in SSA. There is need for measures to be put in place to prevent COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, for example, involving the community in the delivery of the vaccines. | The paper advocates for the integration of COVID-19 vaccines into the routine immunization schedule to improve vaccine uptake. | Possible causes of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Africa include public distrust; delayed emergency response in the continent, i.e., laxity in border closures and the subsequent importation of the virus to Africa; and a lack of community involvement in the contexts of social distancing, handwashing and masking, among other measures. African governments also did little to debunk social and traditional media theories that the African continent is “immune” to the virus due to the climatic conditions. As a result of these reasons, many Africans lacked confidence in the manner in which the virus was being reported and handled in the continent. |
2. | Ekwebelem et al. [19] | Science Direct Letter to the Editor (Opinion piece) | COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine hesitancy in Africa | In 2019, vaccine hesitancy was listed by WHO as one of the top threats to health and wellbeing. Vaccine hesitancy is driven by cultural, social, historical, political and individual factors such as values, risk perceptions, emotions, knowledge or beliefs. | Africa is a multicultural and diverse continent. Sociocultural complexity has contributed immensely to sporadic vaccine hesitancy. As a result, hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccines is expected to ultimately vary in different contexts. | There are fears, misinformation and conspiracy theories being spread by social influencers, religious leaders, anti-vaccinists and political leaders that the vaccine is being used to reduce the rising population and also to track people’s lives through microchips. |
3. | Flint [20] | JSTOR (Journal article—Primary source) | COVID vaccine trials in Africa | COVID vaccine trials are happening in contexts where there is a history of biomedical experimentation and abuse, such as in the African continent. Vaccine hesitancy in Africa stems from the colonial geography, structural adjustment programs of the 1980s and 1990s, the HIV/AIDs pandemic, clinical trials involving pharmaceutical companies and the influence of iniquities in global health field. | The backdrop of colonialism is important in understanding the resistance to COVID-19 vaccine trials. | There is a need to rethink more equitable relations within global health. |
4. | Harrison and Wu [21] | Scopus (Opinion piece) | Vaccine confidence in the time of COVID-19 | A need to reexamine whether the COVID-19 pandemic will ease the historical origins of vaccine hesitancy/refusal in sub-Saharan Africa. | A push for vaccine confidence as a means of conceptualizing and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in a mutual manner. | A call for a public health culture that embraces vaccine safety. The concept of public health programs must be broader than the delivery of the vaccine (biomedical supply chain). |
5. | Nihlén [5] | PubMed (Journal article—Primary source) | Vaccine hesitancy and trust | The paper analyzes vaccination policy from an ethical perspective against the backdrop of growing vaccine hesitancy. | The paper looks into examples of vaccination programs such as those for measles and H1N1 and associated side effects that propel hesitancy. | Vaccine skeptics should not be treated as ill-informed or less educated, but their concerns should be addressed respectfully. Furthermore, the public should trust the message and count on the government to take responsibility for individuals affected by vaccine side effects. |
6. | Trogen and Pirofski [22] | Web of Science (Commentary) | Understanding vaccine hesitancy in COVID-19 | The initial concerns about the scarcity of COVID-19 vaccines increased public demand, but as supply meets demand, vaccine hesitancy is becoming a defining theme of the pandemic. | The paper differentiates vaccine hesitancy from vaccine refusal. Vaccine refusal carries with it deep political, cultural and emotional underpinnings that are difficult to overcome. Individuals in this group are often described as anti-vaxxers (also known as anti-vaccinists). | Overcoming vaccine hesitancy requires a multipronged approach, especially when the vaccine benefits outweigh the risks. |
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Ochola, E.A. Vaccine Hesitancy in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Context of COVID-19 Vaccination Exercise: A Systematic Review. Diseases 2023, 11, 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases11010032
Ochola EA. Vaccine Hesitancy in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Context of COVID-19 Vaccination Exercise: A Systematic Review. Diseases. 2023; 11(1):32. https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases11010032
Chicago/Turabian StyleOchola, Elizabeth A. 2023. "Vaccine Hesitancy in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Context of COVID-19 Vaccination Exercise: A Systematic Review" Diseases 11, no. 1: 32. https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases11010032