Assessment of Factors Causing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Improving Uptake in Anambra State South-East Nigeria

Abstract

Aim: This study assessed the factors causing vaccine hesitancy and ways to mitigate it. This bordered on knowledge gaps responsible for vaccine hesitancy and uptake, determined factors responsible for vaccines hesitancy, and evaluated the roles of communities, governments, and key stakeholders in promoting vaccine acceptance of the new COVID-19 vaccines. Methodology: A cross-sectional analytic study was carried out. Using questionnaires on 840 respondents, which bordered on Socio-demographics, Knowledge gaps, factors responsible for COVID vaccine hesitancy, and roles of government and stake holders in mitigating vaccine hesitancy was employed. The 21 LGAs had 40 questionnaires each out of which 839 was retrieved. This was administered through 81 validators across the Local Government Areas. The research took place across the 21 LGAs in Anambra State, South East Nigeria. The study lasted from April –September 2022. Results: About 99.2% have heard about COVID via radio/television and social media being the most frequent (56.3%, 21.2%). Another 76.1% does not believe it is real while 71.9% thinks it could be prevented by vaccination. More than half (55.3%) have not taken the COVID vaccine due to fear (13.1%), side effects (15.1%), lack of believe in the disease (12.2%), misinformation & conspiracies (14.2%) among others. Further factors to hesitancy were vaccine seen as biological weapon to reduce population (27.2%), inadequate information (25.4%), no COVID in Nigeria (24.7%) and other issues. Majority (57.4%) thinks these could be resolved by awareness creation, health education (6.3%), with government/ stake holders’ commitment. Conclusion: Knowledge The decision to delay vaccination or the refusal to vaccinate is indeed a major factor to accepting COVID vaccination. Furthermore, knowledge gaps, socio-behavioural factors, information’s gaps, and government commitment affected immunization and vaccine acceptance. Continuous advocacy, awareness creation and right information should be made available to the population to reduce and eliminate COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.