Factors Affecting Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in University Students

Abstract

Background: During the Covid-19 pandemic, many people have not been vaccinated. One of the most important reasons for this is the people who are hesitant about the vaccine. If the factors affecting vaccination are revealed and awareness-raising activities are carried out, deaths due to the Covid-19 pandemic can be reduced by ensuring that more people are vaccinated. Aim: Our aim is to reveal the factors affecting the Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy in university students. Material and Methods: Our study was carried out on 1005 students who participated in the study at the Girne American University of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The sociodemographic characteristics of the students were determined, questions were asked about the factors affecting the vaccination by face-to-face survey method, and the results were evaluated statistically. Results: 451 people out of 1005 students had hesitations about getting the Covid-19 vaccines, and 554 students were vaccinated without hesitation. The most important reasons for the hesitations of the students; fear of needles, belief that the vaccine is ineffective, fear of the side effects of the vaccine, and the thought that they do not need to be vaccinated because other people are vaccinated have been found to be effective. Conclusion: In order to increase vaccination rates among university students, vaccines should be made with needle-free methods, and studies to raise awareness about the effectiveness and side effects of Covid-19 vaccines should be urgently planned and implemented by authorized institutions.