Knowledge, attitude and practice survey towards COVID‐19 vaccination: A mediation analysis

Abstract

Background and Aim The COVID‐19 pandemic has significantly impacted human lives across the world. In a country like India, with the second highest population in the world, impact of COVID‐19 has been diverse and multidimensional. Under such circumstances, vaccination against COVID‐19 infection is claimed to be one of the major solutions to contain the pandemic. Understanding of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) measures are essential prerequisites to design suitable intervention programs. This paper examines the different KAP factors in Indians towards their decision of vaccine uptake. Method An online questionnaire was administered to Indian respondents. (Pilot study: n = 100, Main study: n = 221) to assess their existing knowledge on COVID‐19 infections and vaccination, attitude and intentions towards COVID‐19 vaccines and their decision towards COVID‐19 vaccine uptake. Result The findings highlighted that existing knowledge on COVID‐19 infections and vaccination directly impacted their attitude and intention towards vaccination. The attitude and intention towards COVID‐19 vaccines directly impacted their practice of undergoing COVID‐19 vaccination. Further, there was a statistically significant and considerably large indirect effect of existing knowledge on COVID‐19 infections and vaccination on the practice of undergoing COVID‐19 vaccination through attitude and intention towards the vaccine. There was no direct effect of Knowledge (existing knowledge on COVID‐19 infections and vaccination) on Practice (decision to undergo COVID‐19 vaccination). Therefore, Attitude and intention towards COVID‐19 vaccine is the primary mediator between Knowledge (existing knowledge on COVID‐19 infections and vaccination) and Practice (decision to undergo COVID‐19 vaccination). Conclusion Participants decision towards COVID‐19 vaccination decisions are strongly related to their attitude and intentions that confirms the strong role of attitude towards success of COVID‐19 vaccination programme. Therefore, ‘person‐centric’ attitude based positive intervention strategies that links their prior knowledge on COVID‐19 infections and vaccination must be designed for greater vaccine acceptance amongst Indians.

Knowledge, attitude, and practices among clinically exposed medical students and interns towards COVID-19 vaccine in a tertiary care hospital, Kanyakumari district: a cross-sectional survey

“…Sengupta et al did a similar study and mainly highlighted the attitude on COVID-19 vaccine, which will indirectly impact knowledge and practice. 6 In this study females (61.66%) were involved a higher percentage which was similar to the study done by Bhartiya et al 9 In the current study maximum involvement among students, second years MBBS 89 (29.6%) which is not similar to the study done by Vanathy et al showed third-year students 247 (61.8%). 10 The second-year students show high-grade knowledge 32 (36%) and they also had 42.7% of positive attitude and only 31.5% good practice.…”

“…In addition, a vaccine awareness campaign is done against the turbulence of anti-vaccination sentiments who are not willing to get vaccinated. 6 For any successful program, the most important criteria are vaccine acceptability. But many anti-vaccine movements and false beliefs among people are not getting vaccinated especially those with low socioeconomic status.…”

Factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination intention among university students: A cross-sectional study in Malaysia

“…In this study, the finding concurred with the theory that knowledge of COVID-19 was positively associated with vaccination intention. Similarly, Sengupta et al also demonstrated that knowledge of COVID-19 directly impacted the attitude and intention toward vaccination among the general public of India [38] .…”

SARS-CoV-2 Infection Anxiety, Knowledge and Attitudes in University Degree Pregnant Women from Romania—A Cross-Sectional Observational Survey in the First Two Pandemic Years

“…It is advised that every immunization program must be trustworthy to be effective [ 40 ]. Additionally, it is equally important that the officials ensure vaccination dosages are secure, have judicious vaccine administration and effective management, and convince the general public of vaccines’ safety and effectiveness while inspiring them to accept them [ 7 , 40 ]. Maternal IgG can pass through the placenta and give the newborn immunity [ 16 ].…”

“…The main intermediary between pre-existing information and actual COVID-19 immunization practice can be attitude [ 40 ]. These results are the foundation of public health awareness campaigns that must work to change people’s attitudes in a favorable direction [ 40 ].…”