COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among indigenous people in Yemen: An incipient crisis

The Impact of COVID-19 on Māori Patients Attending Diabetes Annual Review

Māori, the indigenous population of New Zealand, represent 17.1% of the country's population (Statistics New Zealand 2021) and are over-represented in all negative indices. In particular, Māori are underprivileged in terms of socioeconomics and health due to the residual effects of colonization. The global COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has been one of the most significant public health crises in modern history. Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, were and remain at higher risk of severe outcomes. In the New Zealand context and given the health statistics, Māori were identified as a group that was at high risk from COVID-19. Using a mixed method approach, we attempt to identify the reasons why a cohort of New Zealand Māori with type II diabetes mellitus (DM II) and a history of regular attendance failed their Diabetes Annual Review (DAR) post-COVID-19. Twelve Māori participants were recruited (> 18 years) from a Māori Diabetes database of an urban General Practitioners (GP) Clinic in Northland. A 9-point questionnaire and an unstructured telephone conversation utilizing a Kaupapa Māori (Māori philosophy) approach were utilized, and data were collated.  Findings suggest the New Zealand government's COVID-19 vaccine mandates served to exacerbate Māori distrust of health professionals. Trust is the foundation of every successful relationship whether it be business, professional, health, or personal. Health delivery and uptake are based on this foundation. Whatever the reason for the loss of trust in the medical profession, historical colonial trauma, swayed by conspiracy theory, or otherwise, considering this factor should influence the structure and approach of public health initiatives directed toward Indigenous people internationally.

COVID-19 Vaccination Personas in Yemen: Insights from Three Rounds of a Cross-Sectional Survey

We used three rounds of a repeated cross-sectional survey on COVID-19 vaccination conducted throughout the entire territory of Yemen to: (i) describe the demographic and socio-economic characteristics associated with willingness to be vaccinated; (ii) analyse the link between beliefs associated with COVID-19 vaccines and willingness to be vaccinated; and (iii) analyse the potential platforms that could be used to target vaccine hesitancy and improve vaccine coverage in Yemen. Over two-thirds of respondents were either unwilling or unsure about vaccination across the three rounds. We found that gender, age, and educational attainment were significant correlates of vaccination status. Respondents with better knowledge about the virus and with greater confidence in the capacity of the authorities (and their own) to deal with the virus were more likely to be willing to be vaccinated. Consistent with the health belief model, practising one (or more) COVID-19 preventative measures was associated with a higher willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Respondents with more positive views towards COVID-19 vaccines were also more likely to be willing to be vaccinated. By contrast, respondents who believed that vaccines are associated with significant side effects were more likely to refuse vaccination. Finally, those who relied on community leaders/healthcare workers as a trusted channel for obtaining COVID-19-related information were more likely to be willing to be vaccinated. Strengthening the information about the COVID-19 vaccination (safety, effectiveness, side effects) and communicating it through community leaders/healthcare workers could help increase the COVID-19 vaccine coverage in Yemen.

Apprehensions and Optimism among Dental Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic-A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Evaluation

Globally, the pandemic of the coronavirus disease, which started in Wuhan, China, has become a major issue for public health. The COVID-19 epidemic notably causes health professionals to experience significantly more emotional stress than the general populace. The present study proposes to investigate the fear aspect in dentists in the initiation of clinical practice during these times. An online cross-sectional study was conducted among dental practitioners based on a pre-validated questionnaire. The data were expressed as frequency and percentage analyzed using the chi-square test using SPSS version 25. The data was obtained from 271 participants, where clinical practice after the first wave was mostly by freelancers (p-value = 0.01); most of whom were married (p-value = 0.065); 19.1% attached to institutes did not have changes in earnings; 28.1% of private practitioners had less than 10% reduction in cases. A total of 62% of private practitioners are concerned about the vaccine's preventative effects (p-value = 0.026), and 57% of private practitioners worry about being sued for the delay in treatment (p-value = 0.036). Only 33.1% of employees in institutions worry that becoming sick could endanger their family. As dentists continue to work their way through this pandemic, these pressures only occasionally have an impact on them. According to the researchers, this is the first study that has captured the anxiety and apprehensions that dental practitioners experienced during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak in India in April 2021. The study's findings demonstrate that the study population was generally upbeat and confident that they could quickly overcome their fear.

Opposing Role of Trust as a Modifier of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in an Indigenous Population

Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHPIs) were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and remain significantly under-vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. To understand vaccine hesitancy, we surveyed 1124 adults residing in a region with one of the lowest vaccination rates in Hawaii during our COVID-19 testing program. Probit regression analysis revealed that race/ethnicity was not directly associated with the probability of vaccine uptake. Instead, a higher degree of trust in official sources of COVID-19 information increased the probability of vaccination by 20.68%, whereas a higher trust in unofficial sources decreased the probability of vaccination by 12.49% per unit of trust. These results revealed a dual and opposing role of trust on vaccine uptake. Interestingly, NHPIs were the only racial/ethnic group to exhibit a significant positive association between trust in and consumption of unofficial sources of COVID-19 information, which explained the vaccine hesitancy observed in this indigenous population. These results offer novel insight relevant to COVID-19 mitigation efforts in minority populations.