COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, hesitancy, and determinants among physicians in a university-based teaching hospital in Thailand

Abstract

Background The COVID-19 vaccines provide renewed hope in the fight against the recent pandemic. To ensure widespread vaccination, it is crucial to analyze vaccine willingness and its determinants among physicians, key health care influencers. This study aimed to assess acceptance rate and identify factors associated with vaccine hesitancy among Thai physicians. Methods A cross-sectional online-based questionnaire was distributed to all physicians at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital during March 31, 2021 to April 30, 2021 in order to assess their attitudes toward receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Reasons for vaccine acceptance and refusal as well as predictors of vaccine hesitancy were analyzed by bivariate and multivariable analysis. Results A total of 705 complete responses were received with 95.6% (n = 675) of physicians expressing willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Only one of the 31 physicians (4.4%) who expressed a hesitancy or unwillingness to be vaccinated was a faculty member; the others were physicians-in-training. Approximately one-fifths of physicians surveyed were also not willing to recommend the vaccine to their family members (21.4%, n = 151) or patients (18.7%, n = 132). Using multivariable logistic regression, vaccine hesitancy was independently associated with preference for particular vaccines over the government allocated option, especially for mRNA vaccine (aOR 8.86; 95% CI 1.1–71.54; p = 0.041). Vaccine literacy showed an inverse relationship (aOR 0.34; 95% CI 0.13–0.9; p = 0.029) with vaccine hesitancy. Uncertainty of the vaccine efficacy (83.9%) and fear of adverse events (48.4%) were major concerns contributing to vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion This study revealed a high rate of physician willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine especially among staffs; however, a significant proportion would not currently suggest vaccination to their families or patients. Restrictions on vaccine choice and vaccine illiteracy, together with concerns over adverse effects and uncertainty of efficacy, were associated with negative attitudes toward vaccination. To raise acceptance of the vaccination program, efforts should be made to balance individual preference for vaccine type in addition to increasing the availability of accurate data on safety and efficacy for each vaccine.

Acceptance towards COVID-19 vaccination in Latin America and the Caribbean: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…A study carried out in Colombia found that 90.7% of medical personnel are willing to be vaccinated with an 80.0% effective vaccine [ 13 ]. This figure is similar to that reported by studies in Thailand, where a 95.6% vaccination intention was reported by medical personnel [ 14 ]. However, a study conducted on Chinese factory workers found that the rate of vaccine acceptance in this population ranged from 66.6% to 80.6% [ 15 ].…”

Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…In this study, the pooled prevalence (51.64%) is in line with systematic reviews conducted in Africa (48.93%), Kuwait (53.1%), and Somalia (59.4%) [ 8 , 35 , 36 ]. However, the finding is lower than other systematic reviews conducted at the global level (71.5%), India (86.3%), Thailand (95.7%), and Bangladesh (65.5%) [ 37 – 40 ]. Likewise, the pooled prevalence is higher than studies conducted in Nigeria (40%) and Tunisia (35%) [ 41 , 42 ].…”

Two-Tailed Dogs, Social Unrest and COVID-19 Vaccination: Politics, Hesitancy and Vaccine Choice in Hungary and Thailand

“…In these countries, specific vaccines promoted by national authorities were less likely to be chosen by those who supported political parties opposing the ruling government. As our data from Thailand also show, some vaccines were partly rejected as they were viewed as less efficacious against infection prevention and serious disease, consistent with findings reported from physicians in that country [ 21 ]. In both our studies, males and older respondents were more likely to express willingness to vaccinate, in line with data collected elsewhere [ 46 , 59 ].…”

“…Government and royal support for a small bioscience company, with no history of vaccine manufacturing, contributed towards vaccine scepticism, a delayed rollout, and raised questions about the political stance of AstraZeneca, produced under license in Thailand at the time [ 18 , 19 , 20 ]. At the same time, there were media reports of widespread demands for mRNA vaccines, perceived by many Thais as more effective in preventing disease [ 18 , 21 , 22 ].…”