Comparison of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Between Healthcare Workers and Community Members: Implications for Future Vaccination Strategies

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly reshaped global perceptions of vaccination. While vaccine hesitancy existed before the pandemic, the rapid development of vaccines and the emergence of new variants have further amplified concerns, making vaccine acceptance a pressing public health issue. This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and April 2021 in the Mamak district of Ankara, Türkiye, with 316 contact tracing personnel and 310 community members. The study aimed to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, attitudes toward rapidly developed vaccines, and differences between healthcare workers and the general public. Based on the data collected from the participants, it was determined that 49.1% of the contact tracing teams and 31.6% of the community members scored above the average score of all participants on the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy questions. Among healthcare workers, the main reasons for hesitancy were concerns about long-term side effects and the duration of vaccine protection. In contrast, among community members, the primary concerns were insufficient knowledge about vaccines and doubts regarding the short-term effectiveness of the vaccine. Regression analysis showed that vaccination status, pandemic-related fear levels, prior influenza vaccination, and frequency of following pandemic-related news were significant predictors of vaccine attitudes. These findings suggest that vaccine hesitancy is not limited to COVID-19 specific concerns but is also associated with broader issues such as trust in the vaccine development process and confidence in public health authorities. Addressing these complex factors at both the healthcare and community levels is essential for future pandemic preparedness and for building resilient public health systems.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• vaccine hesitancy
• healthcare workers

Sağlık Çalışanları ve Toplum Bireyleri Arasında COVID-19 Aşı Tereddüdünün Karşılaştırılması: Gelecekteki Aşılama Stratejilerine Yönelik Çıkarımlar

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemisi, aşılamaya yönelik küresel algıları köklü biçimde değiştirmiştir. Pandemi öncesinde de var olan aşı tereddüdü, yeni aşıların hızla geliştirilmesi ve ortaya çıkan varyantlarla birlikte daha da artmış; bu durum, aşı kabulünü önemli bir halk sağlığı sorunu haline getirmiştir. Bu çalışmada, Mart-Nisan 2021 tarihleri arasında Ankara ili Mamak ilçesinde 316 filyasyon ekibi üyesi ve 310 mahalle sakini ile yürütülen kesitsel bir araştırma kapsamında, COVID-19 aşı tereddüdü ve hızla geliştirilen aşılara yönelik tutumlar değerlendirilmiş; sağlık çalışanları ile toplum bireyleri arasındaki farklılıklar incelenmiştir. Katılımcılardan toplanan veriler doğrultusunda, filyasyon ekiplerinin %49,1’inin, mahalle sakinlerinin ise %31,6’sının, çalışmaya katılan tüm bireylerin aşı tereddüdü sorularından aldıkları puanların ortalamasının üzerinde puan aldığı saptanmıştır. Sağlık çalışanlarında tereddüdün temel nedenleri, aşının uzun vadeli yan etkileri ve koruyuculuk süresine yönelik endişeler olarak öne çıkarken; toplum bireylerinde ise aşılar hakkında yeterli bilgiye sahip olmama ve aşının etkinliğinin kısa süreli olacağına dair kaygılar belirleyici olmuştur. Regresyon analizleri, COVID-19 aşılanma durumu, pandemiyle ilişkili korku düzeyi, grip aşısı geçmişi ve pandemi haberlerini takip etme sıklığının, aşıya yönelik tutumların anlamlı belirleyicileri olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Bulgular, aşı tereddüdünün yalnızca COVID-19’a özgü kaygılarla sınırlı kalmadığını; aynı zamanda aşı geliştirme sürecine duyulan güven ve sağlık otoriteleriyle ilgili genel algılarla yakından ilişkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Gelecekteki pandemilere hazırlık ve halk sağlığı sistemlerinin dayanıklılığının artırılması açısından, bu çok yönlü faktörlerin özellikle sağlık çalışanları ve toplumdaki bireyler düzeyinde ele alınması büyük önem taşımaktadır.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• aşı tereddüdü
• sağlık çalışanları

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