2023, Volume 16, Issue 1, pp 101 – 109

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the Saudi Arabian population

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Authors and Affiliations

Corresponding Author: Abdullah Almojaibel, Respiratory Care Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. E-mail: amojaibel@iau.edu.sa

Abstract

This study aimed to measure the level of vaccine hesitancy among the Saudi population using the WHO Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS). A cross-sectional study using a modified vaccine hesitancy scale (VHS) was conducted among Saudi Arabian residents between April 4 and May 24, 2021. The relationship between participants’ willingness to uptake COVID-19 vaccines and their demographics, awareness of COVID-19, and health status was evaluated. The chi-square test was employed to compare categorical variables and logistic regression for the associations of demographical characteristics with acceptance of the vaccine. We received a total of 1657 completed responses. 1,126 participants (68%) were vaccinated, of which 19% were vaccinated with one dose only, and 49% were fully vaccinated (with two doses). Safety concerns and worries about side effects were higher among the hesitant group (p<0.001). 96% of the participants from the willing group were not hesitant to have the vaccine, whereas in the same group, 70% thought they had good health and the vaccine was not needed. Logistic regression analysis revealed that participants with chronic diseases had lower odds of being willing to be vaccinated (OR=0.583, p-value 0.04). The study findings suggest key factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the Saudi population and can help public health authorities plan strategies to minimize vaccine hesitancy and improve awareness about vaccine acceptance.

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About this article

PMC ID: 9979176
PubMed ID: 36873126
DOI: 10.25122/jml-2022-0086

Article Publishing Date (print): 1 2023
Available Online: 

Journal information

ISSN Printing: 1844-122X
ISSN Online: 1844-3117
Journal Title: Journal of Medicine and Life

Copyright License: Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.


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