Attitudes and Concerns Towards the COVID-19 Vaccine: Nursing Students' Perspectives
Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the attitudes and concerns of nursing students towards the COVID-19 vaccine.
Methods: This descriptive study was conducted online between April-September 2021 with 238 nursing students. In the study, three data collection tools were used: the Introductory Information Form, the COVID-19 Personal Information and Experience Form, and Attitudes Towards the COVID-19 Vaccine Scale (ATV-COVID-19).
Results: In this study, 58.8% of the nursing students were aged 22 and under; 89.9% were women and 78.6% were undergraduate students, and 71.4% were willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Nursing students' ATV-COVID-19 positive attitude sub-dimension mean score was 3.90±0.94, and the negative attitude sub-dimension mean score was 3.45±0.73, and it was found that the attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccines were positive. A statistically significant difference was found between nursing students’ willingness to be vaccinated and vaccination according to the national immunization schedule, opinion on childhood vaccinations, and having sufficient and accurate information about vaccines against COVID-19 (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Nursing students' attitudes towards the COVID-19 vaccine were positive, but there were concerns about various issues, such as the safety of the vaccines and the possibility of harmful/lethal effects or side effects. Having a positive attitude towards other vaccines and having sufficient and accurate information about vaccines against COVID-19 positively affected students' attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines and the willingness to be vaccinated. It is recommended to carry out campaigns that support positive attitudes towards vaccines, conduct studies on vaccine safety and provide accurate information to promote immunization against epidemiological diseases.
Keywords
COVID-19 vaccines , immunization , nursing student , vaccine attitude
Kaynakça
- Al-Zalfawi SM, Rabbani SI, Asdaq SMB, Alamri AS, Alsanie WF, Alhomrani M, et al. (2021). Public knowledge, attitude, and perception towards COVID-19 vaccination in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(19), 10081.
- Alshehry AS, Cruz JP, Alquwez N, Alsharari AF, Tork HMM, Almazan JU, et al. (2022). Predictors of nursing students’ intention to receive COVID-19 vaccination: A multi-university study in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 78(2), 446–457.
- Browne SK, Feemster KA, Shen AK, Green-McKenzie J, Momplaisir FM, Faig W, Offit PA, Kuter BJ. (2022). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy among physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses in two academic hospitals in Philadelphia. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 43(10), 1424–1432.
- Çatıker A, Kaya A, Kılıç M. (2022). Hemşirelerde COVID-19 aşısının kabulü ve kararsızlığı. Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Nursing Sciences, 14(1), 52-60.
- Geniş B, Gürhan N, Koç M, Geniş Ç, Şirin B, Çırakoğlu OC, et al. (2020). Development of perception and attitude scales related with COVID-19 pandemia. Pearson Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 5(7), 306–326.
- Güngör S, Atik D, Akyol N. (2022). Hemşirelerde COVID-19 aşısının kabulü ve hastalığa yakalanma korkusu. Journal of Medical Sciences, 3(2), 59–71.
- Gautier S, Luyt D, Davido B, Herr M, Cardor T, Rousseau A, et al. (2022). Cross-sectional study on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and determinants in healthcare students: interdisciplinary trainings on vaccination are needed. BMC Medical Education, 22(1), 299.
- Kader Ç, Erbay A, Demirel MS, Kocabıyık O, Çiftçi E, Çolak NY, et al. (2022). Sağlık çalışanlarının COVID-19 aşılamasına yönelik tutum ve davranışlarının değerlendirilmesi. Klimik Journal, 35(1), 30-35.
- Köse S, Erkut Z, Çalıkuşu İncekar M, Savaşer S. (2022). nursing students’ opinions about the COVID-19 vaccine: A descriptive, cross-sectional study. Online Türk Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, 7(2), 297–305.
- Larson HJ, Jarrett C, Eckersberger E, Smith DMD, Paterson P. (2014). Understanding vaccine hesitancy around vaccines and vaccination from a global perspective: A systematic review of published literature, 2007-2012. Vaccine, 32(19), 2150–2159.