An Analysis of the Attitudes of Family Physicians Towards the COVID-19 Vaccine

Abstract

Objective: Attitudes of family medicine physicians towards the COVID-19 vaccines will be effective in vaccination rates in the community. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to reveal the opinions of family medicine physicians on the COVID-19 vaccines. Materials and Methods: The data collection forms prepared for this cross-sectional study were converted into an online questionnaire form and sent to the physicians working as family medicine physicians in different provinces of Turkey between December 2020 - January 2021 via e-mails (GoogleGroups) and communication groups (Facebook, WhatsApp, etc.). The responses of 494 family medicine physicians in Turkey, who were accessible through this method and volunteered to participate in the study, were recorded to be analysed. Results: The opinion towards which the participants in our study had the highest positive attitude was related to the necessity to provide everyone with the COVID-19 vaccine’, while the most obvious negative attitude was related to the view that the efficacy of the vaccine has not yet been tested sufficiently. Conclusions: Although a significant majority of family medicine physicians have a positive attitude towards the need for administering the COVID-19 vaccine, more than half have expressed a negative or indecisive attitude towards relying on the statements made about the vaccine and its efficacy, which is said to have been adequately tested. For the desired levels can be reached in terms of vaccination rates, public needs to be informed more on the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

Keywords

• Family medicine
• Vaccination
• COVID-19

Aile Hekimlerinin COVID-19 Aşısına Yönelik Tutumlarının Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Aile hekimlerinin COVID-19 aşısına yönelik tutumlarının toplumdaki aşılanma oranlarında etkili olacağı düşünülmektedir. Bu nedenle, bu çalışmada aile hekimlerinin COVID-19 aşısına yönelik düşüncelerini incelemeyi amaçladık. Yöntem: Kesitsel tipteki bu çalışma için hazırlanan veri toplama formları online anket formuna dönüştürülerek Aralık 2020 - Ocak 2021 tarihleri arasında Türkiye'nin farklı illerinde aile hekimi olarak çalışan hekimlere e-posta (GoogleGroups) ve iletişim grupları (Facebook, WhatsApp vb.) aracılığı ile iletildi. Bu yöntemle ulaşılan ve çalışmaya katılmaya gönüllü olan Türkiye’deki 494 aile hekiminin yanıtları analiz edilmek üzere kayıt altına alındı. Bulgular: Çalışmamızdaki katılımcıların en yüksek düzeyde olumlu tutum içerisinde olduğu görüş herkese COVID-19 aşısı uygulanması gerektiği yönünde iken; en belirgin olumsuz tutum ise aşının etkinliğinin yeterince test edilmediği yönünde idi. Sonuç: Aile hekimlerinin önemli bir çoğunluğu COVID-19 aşısı uygulanması konusunda olumlu bir tutuma sahipken, yarıdan fazlası aşı ve etkinliği hakkında yapılan açıklamalara güvenme konusunda olumsuz veya kararsız bir tutum sergilemiştir. Aşılama oranlarında istenilen seviyelere ulaşılabilmek için aile hekimleri aracılığı ile halkın aşının güvenliği ve etkinliği konusunda daha fazla bilgilendirilmesine ihtiyaç vardır.

Keywords

• Aile hekimliği
• Aşılama
• COVID-19

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