Confidence in a Vaccine against COVID-19 among Registered Nurses in Barcelona, Spain across Two Time Periods

Abstract

Objective: To report the vaccine hesitancy (VH) for a vaccine against COVID-19 in registered nurses in Barcelona, with measurements taken at two stages, prior to the vaccination campaign and once 75% vaccination coverage had been reached. Methods: A self-completed online survey was administered in December 2020 and again in July 2021 through the College of Nurses of Barcelona. It measured the prevalence of VH against a government-approved vaccine recommended by their employer, their intention to be vaccinated, perceptions of disease risk and vaccine protection, attitudes and beliefs to vaccination and social norm. Bivariate analysis according to VH and application time are presented. Results: 2430 valid responses were obtained in the first measurement and 2027 in the second. At both times, 86% were women and 69% worked mainly in the public sector. Prior to the vaccine availability, VH was 34.2%, decreasing to 17.9%. Risk perceptions were significantly lower in those with VH compared to non-VH, in all groups studied and at both times, while safety and efficacy perceptions increased in all groups, significantly less in VH. The greatest benefit of the COVID-19 vaccine is perceived by pharmaceutical companies. VH nurses perceived a more hesitant social environment. Conclusion: As the vaccination was rolled out, VH in nurses declined, with time improving the confidence in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines. Risk perceptions also decreased over time, except for the perception of severity in HCW where it increased. Trust in institutions impacts trust in vaccines.

“Maternal Vaccination Greatly Depends on Your Trust in the Healthcare System”: A Qualitative Study on the Acceptability of Maternal Vaccines among Pregnant Women and Healthcare Workers in Barcelona, Spain

“…One of the most important factors for decision-making was HCW opinions, the information given in healthcare centres, and the relationship with the HCW, especially midwives, during antenatal care visits. In line with other authors, the vaccine confidence strategy reinforced confidence in vaccines, including building trust, empowering HCW, and engaging communities and individuals [26]. Our results indicated that some potential profiles of women were more prone to be vaccinated, depending on what information was perceived to be more trustful.…”

“…Many believed that the role of the media was providing high-quality, evidencebased information and that sensitising the population to health education by experts in the field is needed. Others have concluded that to stop misinformation from eroding public trust in vaccines; there is work needed with social media companies to promote trustworthy vaccine information, provide accurate, accessible information on vaccines to state policymakers, and engage state and local health officials to advance effective local responses to misinformation [26]. Some healthcare workers interviewed advocated for the need to include more holistic health education in society, schools, and media.…”

I want to be safe: understanding the main drivers behind vaccination choice throughout the pandemic

“…To the best of our knowledge, there is no clear trend regarding the influence of safety and efficacy perception on the willingness to vaccinate. For example, confidence in vaccine safety and efficacy has improved over time [ 33 ] but after the release of the booster doses, safety (mis)perception was still the main driver for vaccination hesitancy [ 33 ]. Worryingly, a study by Wang and colleagues [ 30 ] reported a general decrease in vaccine perceived safety during the third wave conjoined with a decrease in the willingness to vaccinate.…”

Attitudes towards COVID Vaccine and Vaccine Hesitancy in Dermatology: A Narrative Review

“…Another study in Barcelona showed using two online surveys, conducted 6 months apart, of how the attitudes of the nurses changed with time [ 80 ]. In Singapore, a review of a database indicated that the rollout of the vaccination program improved vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers, and they were less hesitant towards the COVID-19 booster than the first dose [ 81 ].…”