Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perception towards COVID-19 Vaccination among the Adult Population: A Cross-Sectional Study in Turkey

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to wreak havoc on lives and ravage the world. Several vaccines have been approved for use against COVID-19; however, there may be hesitancy and negative perceptions towards vaccination, which may reduce the willingness to be vaccinated. Further, studies assessing the current perception toward COVID-19 vaccination are scarce. This study aimed to assess community knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions regarding COVID-19 vaccines among the general population of Turkey. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 1009 adult participants from the 13–20 April 2021. Demographic data were collected, and attitudes and perceptions toward COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated. A multivariable regression analysis was performed to identify the factors predicting perception towards COVID-19 vaccinations. Results: Just over half of participants were male (52.6%) and the majority of respondents were aged between 30 and 39 years (33.8%). Our study revealed that 62.7% of participants had positive perceptions of COVID-19 vaccines. Logistic regression analysis results showed that older people (≥30 vs. <30) were less likely to have a positive perception towards COVID-19 vaccines (OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.51–0.94). We also found participants who had a previous history of influenza vaccines (OR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.43–2.84), bachelor’s degrees or above (OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.12–1.91), and a personal history of COVID-19 (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.10–2.26) were more likely to have a positive perception regarding COVID-19 vaccines. Conclusion: The proportion of the general population in Turkey who believe in COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness is not inferior to that of other countries. However, the low positive perception even among the population applying for vaccination indicates that understanding the perception of the general population and its influencing factors may contribute to developing a strategy for improving vaccination rates by addressing these factors.

Acceptance and Factors Influencing Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccine in a Romanian Population

“…Our findings have confirmed previous findings suggesting those from lower socioeconomic communities, described as lower family wealth, poorer educational achievement, unemployment, and declining wages due to the pandemic, have been found to have higher rates refusal to accept vaccination. This may be because people in these communities and groups of people do not trust public sector officials or the government [ 32 , 33 ]. Furthermore, people who are single and/or lived alone had much higher vaccination acceptance rates than those who lived with others (partners, family members, friends, or housemates).…”

“…People who were constantly informed by specialized medical staff had a statistically significant higher vaccination rate, while people who chose to get information from friends, family, and co-workers had the strongest unwillingness toward getting vaccinated. Furthermore, previous research has indicated that recommendations from health officials as the first source of information about the COVID-19 pandemic are statistically associated with a high degree of confidence in immunization [ 32 ]. Consequently, high levels of vaccination acceptance require trust in science and medical staff.…”

When the first vaccine arrived: An investigation of factors that influenced the intention of health care workers in the national health system of Greece to be vaccinated against the SARS COV‐2 virus during the first trimester of vaccine arrival

“…Although there was a difference in the level of knowledge of the three occupational categories, with physicians having the highest rates and nursing assistants having the lowest, all participants with adequate knowledge of both virus and vaccination subjects, were shown to have the intention to get vaccinated at a higher rate, which has been confirmed by other studies. 40 , 66 …”

Do Vaccination Attitudes Mediate the Link between Critical Consciousness and COVID-19 Vaccination Behaviour? A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Among nurses, stronger COVID-19 vaccination intention was attributed to greater vaccine confidence, younger age and a stronger sense of collective responsibility [7]. In the Turkish general population, age was negatively related to vaccination behaviour, while education and past experiences with other vaccines or with COVID-19 had positive association with intention [11]. Further, other aspects, such as vaccine safety, protecting others and the seriousness of the disease, were also linked with greater willingness to be vaccinated [12].…”