Public fear of COVID-19 vaccines in Iraqi Kurdistan region: a cross-sectional study

The Vaccination Fear Scale (VFS-6): Adaptation, Cross-Cultural Validation, and Invariance among Genders and Six Different Cultures, Applying Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT)

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a meaningful impact on several areas of human activity. With respect to psychological assessment, the requirements to study the fear of vaccination as a means to diminish negative behaviour towards vaccination had been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the factorial invariance of the six-item Vaccination Fear Scale (VFS-6) across individuals and cultures. To achieve this goal, a sample of university students was recruited (n = 2535; mean age = 20.59, SD = 2.04; males: 26.75%, females: 73.25%) from Spain (n = 388; 15.3%), Italy (n = 376; 14.83%), Lebanon (n = 487; 19.21%), Nigeria (n = 561; 22.13%), Turkey (n = 410; 16.17%), and Ukraine (n = 313; 12.34%). The results showed that the most appropriate factorial structure, exhibiting excellent fit indices, was a model with two correlated factors (cognitive symptoms: items 1, 2, and 4; somatic symptoms: items 3, 5, and 6) for both the total sample and individual samples from each country and language (Spanish, Italian, Arabic, English, Turkish, and Ukrainian). Notably, the VFS-6 demonstrated configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance across sex. Regarding countries and languages, configural invariance was observed between them. Also, metric invariance was observed between Spain, Italy, and Ukraine and between Lebanon, Nigeria, and Turkey, which indicates the presence of two well-differentiated groups of countries and the possibility of inferential analysis between them. Item Response Theory analysis suggested an appropriate level of discrimination and difficulty of the test. These significant findings lay the groundwork for future investigations into vaccination fear across diverse cultural backgrounds, providing valuable insights for addressing vaccination-related concerns worldwide.

Predictors of Vaccination Intentions and Behaviour during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

The present research aimed at understanding individuals' vaccination intentions and protective behaviours against COVID-19 through two different studies. In Study 1 (N = 213, 73% women; mean age = 24.03) the Protection Motivation Theory model was tested considering the fear of COVID-19 as a possible mediator between threat appraisal (in terms of both health and social life) and intentions to get vaccinated when the vaccination was not yet available. Study 2 (N = 1111, 68.9% women; mean age = 38.33) was conducted when the vaccine became available for the entire population. Through this study, by adopting the 5C model of vaccine hesitancy as a theoretical framework, we aimed to understand how people who got vaccinated and the ones who did not differed, considering fear of vaccination, personality and vaccination hesitancy. In Study 1, social limitations, perceived severity and COVID-19 perceived vulnerability were significantly and positively related to fear of COVID-19. Contrary to what we expected, fear of COVID-19 was not a significant predictor of vaccination intention, which was predicted by both response efficacy and self-efficacy. In Study 2, in line with previous studies, vaccine hesitancy was negatively related to vaccination. More specifically, the social-oriented dimension of collective responsibility was the strongest predictor of effective behaviour. Our findings provide insights into the complexity of vaccine acceptance and emphasise the need for targeted interventions to promote vaccination and mitigate the spread of infectious diseases.

Depression and Generalized Anxiety as Long-Term Mental Health Consequences of COVID-19 in Iraqi Kurdistan

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with a variety of psychiatric symptoms. However, COVID-19's association with psychiatric symptoms after the acute illness phase is not fully understood. Thus, this study sought to examine symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety and associated factors in the period following COVID-19 infection. A cross-sectional study design was conducted in three governorates of the Iraqi Kurdistan region. Face-to-face interviews were held between the period of 15 September and 20 December 2021 with both those who had been infected with COVID-19 and those who had not. Depression symptomology was assessed using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire and levels of anxiety were measured using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale. A total of 727 participants were recruited. The bulk of the respondents (n = 454) reported having a past COVID-19 infection, of whom a considerable proportion (82%) had mild-moderate symptoms. More than half of the infected respondents (53.3%) stated they were treated at home. The mean score of generalized anxiety was higher among the infected group compared to the non-infected group t(725) = 2.538, p = 0.011. Factors such as older age, female gender, unemployment, previous psychological problems, and diabetes mellitus were strongly associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety post-COVID-19 infection. Additionally, anxiety was associated with a longer duration of post-COVID symptoms. The majority of the study population had mild to moderate levels of post-COVID-19 depression and anxiety. Psychological education and interventions are required to reduce the psychological burden of post-COVID-19 symptoms among the general population.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and its determinants among residents of Ambo Town, West Shewa, Oromia Region, Ethiopia: cross-sectional survey

Background

Vaccines against COVID-19 are critical for preventing and managing COVID-19 because immunization is one of the most active and cost-effective health strategies for infectious disease prevention. Knowing the community's willingness and factors affecting COVID-19 vaccine acceptance will support the design of effective promotion strategies. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and its determinants among the Ambo Town community.

Method

A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted using structured questionnaires from 1 to 28 February 2022. Four kebeles were selected randomly, and the systematic random sampling procedure was used to select the households. SPSS-25 software was used for data analysis. Ethical approval was received from the Institutional Review Committee of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences of Ambo University, and data were kept confidential.

Result

Of the 391 participants, 385 (98.5%) of the respondents were not vaccinated for COVID-19, and around 126 (32.2%) of the respondents said that they would receive the vaccine if the government provided it. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that males were 1.8 times more likely to accept the COVID-19 vaccine (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.074-3.156) as compared to females. The acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine was lower by 60% in those who tested for COVID-19 as compared to those who were not tested (AOR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.27-0.69). Moreover, the participants who had chronic diseases were two times more likely to accept the vaccine. Acceptance of the vaccine was reduced by half among those who believed that there was a scarcity of data on its safety (AOR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.26-0.80).

Conclusion

The prevalence of COVID-19 vaccination acceptance was low. To enhance the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine, the government and different stakeholders should strengthen public education using mass media about the advantages of getting the COVID-19 vaccination.

The relationship between fear of COVID-19 infection, fear of COVID-19 vaccination and Big Five personality traits: a mediation model

BACKGROUND

The primary objective of our correlational, cross-sectional study was to determine the relationship between fear of COVID-19 infection and fear of COVID-19 vaccination and the role of the Big Five personality traits in this relationship.

PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE

The study sample consisted of 462 participants, including 286 women and 176 men, aged 18 to 75, recruited from the general population. The Big Five personality traits were diagnosed using the Polish version of the Ten-Item Personality Inventory. We used an 11-point numerical rating scale to measure the intensity of fear of COVID-19 infection as well as fear of COVID-19 vaccination.

RESULTS

The results indicate that fear of infection has a weak positive correlation with fear of vaccination. Both types of fear have a weak negative correlation with emotional stability and openness to experience. People diagnosed with COVID-19 have significantly higher levels of fear of vaccination and lower levels of emotional stability compared to those without a COVID-19 diagnosis. Fear of infection proves a good predictor of fear of vaccination and a likely mediator between emotional stability and fear of vaccination against COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

The results may increase our understanding of the role of personality traits, such as emotional stability, in the fear of infection and COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy.

Acceptance towards COVID-19 vaccination in Latin America and the Caribbean: A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Vaccination represents an important strategy to mitigate COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality by protecting against severe forms of the disease and reducing hospitalization and death rates. In this sense, the objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of Vaccination Intention (VI) against COVID-19 in Latin America and Caribbean (LAC).

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review with a comprehensive search strategy for the following databases: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. A random-effect model meta-analysis was carried out using observational studies assessing the intention to vaccines against COVID-19 in LAC countries. The Clopper-Pearson method was used to estimate 95% Confidence Intervals. The quality assessment was developed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale adapted for cross-sectional studies. A subgroup analysis by study location and a sensitivity analysis were developed.

RESULTS

Nineteen cross-sectional studies were included. Five meta-analyzes were performed according to the target population of the included studies. The VI in the general population of LAC was 78.0% (95%CI: 74.0%-82.0%). The VI for non-pregnant women was 78.0% (95%CI: 58.0%-99.0%), for elderly population was 63.0% (95%CI: 59.0%-69.0%), for pregnant women was 69.0% (95%CI: 61.0%-76.0%) and for health-personnel was 83.0% (95% CI: 71.0%-96.0%). The sensitivity analysis for general population meta-analysis that included only low risk of bias studies showed a 77.0% VI (95%CI: 73.0%-82.0%) and for non-pregnant women, 85.0% VI (95%CI: 79.0%-90.0%).

CONCLUSION

Despite the high prevalence of VI in general population found in our study, VI prevalence from elderly people and pregnant women are lower than other population groups and overall population.

Receiving COVID-19 vaccine, hospitalization, and outcomes of patients with COVID-19: A prospective study

Despite Iraq having started the COVID-19 vaccine in January 2020, there is no official data on vaccination and hospitalization across the country. We aimed to explore the role of the COVID-19 vaccine on the hospitalization and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 in Iraqi Kurdistan. In this prospective study, patients who were admitted to two COVID-19 hospitals in Iraqi Kurdistan in 2021 were followed-up by the discharge time between August and November 2021. The mean age of the patients was 57.6 (27-98 years) of both genders. Most of the patients were illiterate (69.3%) or had a lower level of education (20.5%). A small percentage of patients had previous thrombotic disorders (4.7%) and close to half of the patients had chronic diseases (44.9%). The patients had mild to moderate (44.9%), moderate-severe (36.2%), and critical (18.9%) status. The median hospitalization day was 9 days (1-45 days). The study found that 91.3% of the COVID-19 hospitalized patients did not receive the vaccine and 26.8% of patients died. We did not find a significant association between receiving vaccination and patients' outcomes or disease severity. No patients with previous thrombotic disorders received the COVID-19 vaccine. The male patients were more likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine compared to female patients; 14.55% vs. 4.17%, p=0.0394.  This study showed that most patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to the hospitals have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. A high percentage of the COVID-19 hospitalized patients died of the disease in this region.

The Perils of the Pandemic for the Tourism and Hospitality Industries: Envisaging the Combined Effect of COVID-19 Fear and Job Insecurity on Employees’ Job Performance in Pakistan

Purpose

This study aims to improve employees’ job performance during COVID-19 pandemic circumstances and demonstrates the impact of COVID-19 fear on hospitality employees’ job performance under the mediating role of job insecurity changes and job loss insecurity.

Methods

The study adopts a quantitative approach, and data were accumulated through a structured questionnaire. In total, 509 valid questionnaires were received from employees working in Pakistan’s hospitality sector. A structural equation model using Smart-PLS software was used to analyze the collected data from the respondents.

Results

The results have identified that COVID-19 fear has a positive and significant influence on job insecurity changes, job loss insecurity, and a negative and significant relationship with job performance. The mediating relationship of job insecurity changes and job loss insecurity negatively significantly influence job performance. Additionally, results indicate a significant relationship between the moderating effect of the COVID-19 vaccines and job insecurity changes, job loss insecurity, and job performance.

Conclusion

The study revealed that employees who perceived their jobs to be insecure during the COVID-19 pandemic tried to cope with the situation, feel healthy, and perform well in their job after getting vaccinated. The study’s findings recommend modifying the employees’ working pattern for organizations. This study enhances the existing literature on the COVID-19 crisis in Pakistan’s hospitality industry. In particular, this study is a novel addition to academia that highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work performance of front desk employees in the hotel and tourism industry.

Public acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines and its predictors in Middle ‎Eastern/North African (MENA) countries: a systematic review‎

Introduction

COVID-19 vaccines emerged as a worldwide hope to contain the pandemic. However, many people ‎are still hesitant to receive these vaccines. We aimed to systematically review the public knowledge, perception, and acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries and the predictors of vaccine acceptability in this region.

Methods

We systematically searched databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane and retrieved ‎all relevant studies by 5 August 2021.

Results

There was a considerable variation in the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance ‎rates, from 12% in a study from Israel to 83.3% in Kuwait, although two other studies from Israel mentioned 75% ‎and 82.2% acceptability rates. Concerns about the side effects and safety of the vaccine were the main reasons for ‎the lack of acceptability of taking the vaccine, which was reported in 19 studies. ‎

Conclusion

Several factors, such as age, gender, education level, and comorbidities, ‎are worthy of attention as they could expand vaccine coverage in the target population.‎

Impact of Vaccination on the Sense of Security, the Anxiety of COVID-19 and Quality of Life among Polish. A Nationwide Online Survey in Poland

The pandemic state has a destructive effect on the human psyche and induces fear for one’s own health. By reducing the risk of severe COVID-19, vaccination may indirectly improve the mental state. This study aims to assess the effects of vaccination on respondents’ mental well-being, their attitudes towards adherence to government recommendations limiting viral transmission, and to identify factors that may influence the decision to get vaccinated. The survey took the form of the authors’ own, fully voluntary, anonymous, online questionnaire. Standardised psychometric tools were used in the survey: Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7) and Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA). The survey involved 1696 respondents, the vast majority of whom were women, and were aged 18–29. The vaccination status was declared by 1677 respondents (98.9%), 430 (25.4%) of whom were vaccinated with at least one dose of vaccine, while 303 (17.9%) respondents were not only unvaccinated at all, and declared no intention to get vaccinated in the future. Fully vaccinated individuals were found to have lower levels of anxiety, higher MANSA scores and lower subjective anxiety about being infected with COVID-19 than those awaiting vaccination or those with an incomplete vaccination regimen (one dose). Those who are not willing to get vaccinated have the lowest sense of anxiety and fear of being infected and they have the lowest adherence to government recommendations limiting SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccination reduces the level of anxiety about being infected and anxiety due to COVID-19 disease in people from the immediate environment. Those who are not willing to get vaccinated have extreme attitudes that negate the pandemic as a whole, including the need for COVID-19 vaccination. Fully vaccinated individuals still adhere to the SARS-CoV-2 prevention policies in place.