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Vaccines
Special Issues
Attitudes and Perspectives toward COVID-19 Vaccines
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Attitudes and Perspectives toward COVID-19 Vaccines

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "COVID-19 Vaccines and Vaccination".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 19322

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maricla Marrone

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy
Interests: legal medicine; informed consent; risk management; health responsibility; forensic pathology
Prof. Dr. Pasquale Stefanizzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
Interests: prevention public health; epidemiology; vaccinations; AEFI surveillance
Prof. Dr. Nicola Laforgia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70124 Bari, Italy
Interests: respiratory disease of the newborn; non-invasive ventilation; HFT; neonatal and pediatric nutrition; vaccination; neonatal and pediatric COVID-19; neonatal infections; genetic and rare neonatal diseases; congenital malformations; informed consent for minors; infectious disease transmissions; off labelel
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vaccination hesitancy has been a major issue since the first vaccine’s introduction. The very idea of “delivering treatment” to a healthy person is alien to our mindset, eliciting suspicion among those who lack proper education. COVID-19 vaccines have been developed over a surprisingly short period, and this further aggravated the public’s opinion regarding immunization practices.

Although some anti-vaccination groups still state that vaccines are not effective in preventing infectious diseases, the last two years’ debate has been polarized towards vaccination safety. Most concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccination are indeed focused on the risk of adverse events following the administration of products with, supposedly, too fast a development to ensure their own reliability. However, both pre- and post-marketing evidence suggest that available anti-COVID-19 vaccines are safe for use in humans, with little risk of serious adverse events. Given this scenario, communication appears as the main tool to prevent and counteract vaccination hesitancy.

This Research Topic will focus on the phenomenon of VH in the general population and its subgroups and aims to cover the main determinants of vaccine attitude and the strategies to deal with VH in some high-risk subgroups of the population (healthcare workers, parents and pregnancy woman).

Dr. Maricla Marrone
Prof. Dr. Pasquale Stefanizzi
Prof. Dr. Nicola Laforgia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vaccines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • legal medicine
  • informed consent
  • risk management
  • health responsibility
  • prevention public health
  • contact tracking
  • vaccinations
  • pediatrics

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 697 KiB  
Article
Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccination: Staff and Patient Perspectives at Six Health Facilities in Sierra Leone
by Stefanie A. Joseph, Jean Gregory Jerome, Foday Boima, Pierre Ricard Pognon, Donald Fejfar, Yusupha Dibba, Daniel Lavalie, Mohamed Bailor Barrie, Aramide Oteju, Mohamed Sheku, Mariama Mahmoud, Jusu Mattia and Dale A. Barnhart
Vaccines 2023, 11(8), 1385; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11081385 - 19 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1616
Abstract
Sierra Leone is a West African country with a population of over 8 million. With more than half of Sierra Leone’s population living in rural areas, it is important to understand rural populations’ access to and attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. In November [...] Read more.
Sierra Leone is a West African country with a population of over 8 million. With more than half of Sierra Leone’s population living in rural areas, it is important to understand rural populations’ access to and attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine. In November 2021, the rate of vaccination coverage in Sierra Leone was only 7% for one dose and 4% for two doses. Understanding perspectives of health facility staff and patients can help strengthen future vaccine campaigns. We conducted a cross-sectional study, between March 2022 and May 2022, of clinical staff, non-clinical staff, and adult (>18 years) patients/caregivers attending six Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) facilities supported by Partners In Health, four in the Kono district and two in the Western Urban Area district, the capital of Sierra Leone. We assessed the opportunity to vaccinate, vaccine uptake, and intention to vaccinate. Out of the 2015 participants, 11.4% were clinical staff, 18.8% were non-clinical staff, and 69.8% were patients/caregivers. Less than half of the patients/caregivers had the opportunity to be vaccinated (42%), and 22% of patients/caregivers were fully vaccinated. Among the unvaccinated population, 44% would refuse a vaccine if offered to them at no cost. Lack of access to COVID-19 vaccines and to official education messaging, especially for patients and caregivers, is still an underlying problem in Sierra Leone for vaccine uptake, rather than a lack of willingness to be vaccinated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Attitudes and Perspectives toward COVID-19 Vaccines)
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18 pages, 332 KiB  
Article
COVID-19 Vaccine Perceptions among Ebola-Affected Communities in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2021
by Stephanie Chow Garbern, Shiromi M. Perera, Eta Ngole Mbong, Shibani Kulkarni, Monica K. Fleming, Arsene Baleke Ombeni, Rigobert Fraterne Muhayangabo, Dieula Delissaint Tchoualeu, Ruth Kallay, Elizabeth Song, Jasmine Powell, Monique Gainey, Bailey Glenn, Hongjiang Gao, Ruffin Mitume Mutumwa, Stephane Hans Bateyi Mustafa, Neetu Abad, Gnakub Norbert Soke, Dimitri Prybylski, Reena H. Doshi, Rena Fukunaga and Adam C. Levineadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Vaccines 2023, 11(5), 973; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11050973 - 11 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2759
Abstract
Populations affected by humanitarian crises and emerging infectious disease outbreaks may have unique concerns and experiences that influence their perceptions toward vaccines. In March 2021, we conducted a survey to examine the perceptions toward COVID-19 vaccines and identify the factors associated with vaccine [...] Read more.
Populations affected by humanitarian crises and emerging infectious disease outbreaks may have unique concerns and experiences that influence their perceptions toward vaccines. In March 2021, we conducted a survey to examine the perceptions toward COVID-19 vaccines and identify the factors associated with vaccine intention among 631 community members (CMs) and 438 healthcare workers (HCWs) affected by the 2018–2020 Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A multivariable logistic regression was used to identify correlates of vaccine intention. Most HCWs (81.7%) and 53.6% of CMs felt at risk of contracting COVID-19; however, vaccine intention was low (27.6% CMs; 39.7% HCWs). In both groups, the perceived risk of contracting COVID-19, general vaccine confidence, and male sex were associated with the intention to get vaccinated, with security concerns preventing vaccine access being negatively associated. Among CMs, getting the Ebola vaccine was associated with the intention to get vaccinated (RR 1.43, 95% CI 1.05–1.94). Among HCWs, concerns about new vaccines’ safety and side effects (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.57–0.91), religion’s influence on health decisions (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.34–0.61), security concerns (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.37–0.74), and governmental distrust (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.35–0.70) were negatively associated with vaccine perceptions. Enhanced community engagement and communication that address this population’s concerns could help improve vaccine perceptions and vaccination decisions. These findings could facilitate the success of vaccine campaigns in North Kivu and similar settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Attitudes and Perspectives toward COVID-19 Vaccines)
12 pages, 1264 KiB  
Article
COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy among Youths in Soweto, South Africa
by Jelioth Muthoni, Kennedy Otwombe, Dineo Thaele, Isaac Choge, Bent Steenberg, Clare Cutland, Shabir A. Madhi, Andile Sokani and Nellie Myburgh
Vaccines 2023, 11(5), 960; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11050960 - 9 May 2023
Viewed by 3372
Abstract
In combatting COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), immunization is the most prominent strategy. However, vaccination hesitancy—meaning delays in accepting or denying inoculation regardless of availability—has been identified as an essential threat to global health. Attitudes and perceptions play a pivotal role in vaccine acceptability. [...] Read more.
In combatting COronaVIrus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), immunization is the most prominent strategy. However, vaccination hesitancy—meaning delays in accepting or denying inoculation regardless of availability—has been identified as an essential threat to global health. Attitudes and perceptions play a pivotal role in vaccine acceptability. Meanwhile, uptake in South Africa’s rollout has been particularly disappointing among youths. For that reason, we explored attitudes and perceptions of COVID-19 in 380 youths in Soweto and Thembelihle, South Africa, between April and June 2022. A staggering hesitancy rate of 79.2 percent was recorded (301/380). We found negative attitudes and confounded perceptions of COVID-19 to be fueled by medical mistrust and misinformation, with online channels as the main sources of non- and counterfactual claims stemming mostly from unregulated social media popular with youths. Understanding its underpinnings—and enhancing means of curbing vaccine hesitancy—will be paramount in boosting uptake in South Africa’s immunization program, particularly among youths. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Attitudes and Perspectives toward COVID-19 Vaccines)
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10 pages, 250 KiB  
Article
COVID-19 Vaccination and Breastfeeding Mothers in Kahta District, Turkey
by Mehmet Emin Parlak, Erdoğan Öz and Osman Küçükkelepçe
Vaccines 2023, 11(4), 813; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11040813 - 7 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1515
Abstract
We aimed to determine the attitudes and behaviors of breastfeeding mothers regarding the vaccine by examining their knowledge of the COVID-19 virus vaccine and their hesitations about it. The research is a cross-sectional and descriptive study conducted in the Kahta district of Adıyaman, [...] Read more.
We aimed to determine the attitudes and behaviors of breastfeeding mothers regarding the vaccine by examining their knowledge of the COVID-19 virus vaccine and their hesitations about it. The research is a cross-sectional and descriptive study conducted in the Kahta district of Adıyaman, a southeastern province in Turkey, between January and May 2022. The study population consisted of 405 mothers who applied to the Kahta State Hospital Pediatrics outpatient clinic. A questionnaire form was used as a data collection tool, and a consent form was obtained from the participants. The vaccination rate (89%) of those who graduated from high school and above was significantly higher than that of those who graduated from secondary school or below (77.7%). As the economic situation worsened, the vaccination rate decreased. The vaccination rate (85.7%) of mothers whose breastfed child was 0–6 months old was found to be significantly higher than that of those with 7–24-month-olds (76.4%) (p:0.02). The rate of being vaccinated (73.3%) of those who had a new type of COVID-19 virus infection was significantly lower than the rate of being vaccinated (86.3%) of those who did not have a COVID-19 virus infection. The vaccination rate of those who received information from their family doctor and the internet was higher than that of those who received information from radio/TV and people around. The rate of mothers thinking babies should stop breastfeeding who graduated from secondary school or below was higher (53.2%) than the rate of mothers who graduated from high school or above (30.2%) to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. To eliminate the hesitancy about vaccination in mothers, it is necessary to inform and educate the whole society correctly, starting with families with low education and economic levels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Attitudes and Perspectives toward COVID-19 Vaccines)

Review

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28 pages, 1061 KiB  
Review
Determinants of Vaccine Hesitancy among African American and Black Individuals in the United States of America: A Systematic Literature Review
by Elena Savoia, Evelyn Masterson, David R. Olander, Emma Anderson, Anisa Mohamed Farah and Luca Pirrotta
Vaccines 2024, 12(3), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12030277 - 7 Mar 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3104
Abstract
Despite the crucial role the COVID-19 vaccine played in curbing the pandemic, a significant portion of Black and African American individuals expressed hesitancy toward being vaccinated. This review aimed to identify the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black and African American individuals [...] Read more.
Despite the crucial role the COVID-19 vaccine played in curbing the pandemic, a significant portion of Black and African American individuals expressed hesitancy toward being vaccinated. This review aimed to identify the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black and African American individuals in the U.S. The literature search was conducted in December 2022 according to the PRISMA criteria focusing on empirical studies. Data extraction methods, critical appraisal, and secondary thematic analysis were conducted on both quantitative and qualitative studies. Sixteen quantitative studies identified the key factors associated with vaccine hesitancy, such as confidence in vaccine effectiveness, safety, and trust in the healthcare system. Fourteen qualitative studies revealed major themes of mistrust, fear, and information needs, including historical mistrust, concerns about the vaccine development process, and contemporary institutional mistrust. The synthesis of quantitative and qualitative findings derived from this review provides a nuanced understanding of the determinants of vaccine hesitancy in Black and African American communities in the U.S., offering a foundation for the development of evidence-based interventions. Mistrust in the healthcare system, fear, and informational gaps on vaccine safety and effectiveness were identified as significant barriers to vaccination, demanding targeted interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Attitudes and Perspectives toward COVID-19 Vaccines)
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Other

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8 pages, 247 KiB  
Opinion
The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Vaccination Hesitancy: A Viewpoint
by Mirko Leonardelli, Federica Mele, Maricla Marrone, Cinzia Annatea Germinario, Silvio Tafuri, Lorenza Moscara, Francesco Paolo Bianchi and Pasquale Stefanizzi
Vaccines 2023, 11(7), 1191; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11071191 - 3 Jul 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3876
Abstract
Vaccination hesitancy is considered by the World Health Organization as a danger to global health. In recent years, vaccine hesitancy rates to COVID-19 have been studied worldwide. In our study, we aim to provide an overview of the concept of vaccine hesitancy, with [...] Read more.
Vaccination hesitancy is considered by the World Health Organization as a danger to global health. In recent years, vaccine hesitancy rates to COVID-19 have been studied worldwide. In our study, we aim to provide an overview of the concept of vaccine hesitancy, with regard to the post-COVID era, and to provide prevention and management strategies. A search of the international literature until March 2023 was conducted in the PubMed database. The 5723 papers found were divided into two groups: prior to the COVID-19 era and from 2021 onward. Papers about the vaccine hesitation phenomenon are becoming more common during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and following the marketing that the vaccine companies have carried out on the different types of COVID-19 vaccines. It is advisable that healthcare authorities, at the national and international level, as well as healthcare professionals, at the local level, should promote a series of activities to reduce the vaccine hesitancy rate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Attitudes and Perspectives toward COVID-19 Vaccines)
9 pages, 571 KiB  
Opinion
Role of Psychosomatic Symptoms in COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy
by Saral Desai, Tejasvi Kainth, Garima Yadav, Hansini Kochhar, Sushma Srinivas, Saher Kamil and Wei Du
Vaccines 2023, 11(5), 922; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11050922 - 30 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2257
Abstract
Vaccination against COVID-19 is one of the highly effective preventative strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 infection. The rapid approval of COVID-19 vaccination due to the raging pandemic, media coverage, anti-vaccination groups, and concerns about adverse effects associated with vaccination [...] Read more.
Vaccination against COVID-19 is one of the highly effective preventative strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 infection. The rapid approval of COVID-19 vaccination due to the raging pandemic, media coverage, anti-vaccination groups, and concerns about adverse effects associated with vaccination has given rise to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Current evidence suggests that psychosomatic and nocebo-related adverse effects account for a significant proportion of common adverse effects following COVID-19 vaccination. The most common adverse effects are headache, fatigue, and myalgia, which are highly prone to nocebo effects. In our review article, we discuss the role of psychosomatic and nocebo effects in COVID-19 vaccination-related hesitancy, predictors of such effects, and strategies to reduce vaccine hesitancy. General education regarding psychosomatic and nocebo effects and specialized education for at-risk populations may reduce psychosomatic and nocebo-related adverse effects following COVID-19 vaccination, ultimately reducing hesitancy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Attitudes and Perspectives toward COVID-19 Vaccines)
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