The Impact of Social Media on the Acceptance of the COVID-19 Vaccine: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia

Concerns, perceived risk, and hesitancy on COVID-19 vaccine: a qualitative exploration among university students living in the West Bank

The current study aimed to explore Palestinian university students' perceptions and concerns about COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy. Our sample comprised 50 university students selected using snowball sampling techniques from Palestinian universities in the West Bank, Palestine. Thematic content analysis was conducted to identify the main themes of semi-structured interviews with students. The results of the thematic content analysis yielded four main themes: Students' perceptions and concerns on COVID-19 vaccinations, perceived risks of vaccination, experiences related to vaccination, and causes of vaccination hesitancy. Participants expressed concerns and doubts about the vaccine's safety, showing high hesitancy and scepticism; they also reported different causes for COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in the Palestinian context, such as the lack of confidence in vaccines, false beliefs about vaccines, and peculiar political instability and conflict of the Palestinian territories enduring a military occupation undermining the health system's capacity to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak appropriately. Health authorities and policymakers are urgently called to invest in and potentiate awareness campaigns to change the diffuse people's stereotypes related to the COVID-19 vaccine in the Palestinian territories.

The effect of COVID-19 vaccine tele-educational program on vaccine hesitancy and receiving the vaccine among women planning for pregnancy, pregnant or breast-feeding mothers

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 hesitancy among women planning to become pregnant, who are pregnant, and who are breast-feeding is still a global phenomenon. Unfortunately, there is a lack of national educational programs that provide those groups of people with the information they need about the vaccine.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the effect of the COVID-19 vaccine tele-educational program on vaccine hesitancy and receiving the vaccine among women planning for pregnancy, pregnant and breast-feeding mothers.

METHODS

This study implemented a quasi-experimental pre-post design and was conducted in Jordan. It was a two-time study and had two groups of women; 220 women participated in the control group, and 205 women participated in the intervention group (those received the tele-educational program). All participating women answered the demographic characteristics sheet and the Arabic version of Hesitancy About COVID-19 Vaccination Questionnaire twice.

RESULTS

Results showed that after conducting the program the interventional group reported significantly higher vaccination rate and lower mean score of hesitancy than the control group (M = 24.67, SD = 5.11; M = 27.45, SD = 4.92; respectively) t (423) = -4.116, p-value < 0.001. Moreover, before the program, women in the intervention group reported significantly higher levels of hesitancy compared to those in the same group after the program (M = 28.35, SD = 4.91; M = 24.66, SD = 5.11; respectively) t (204) = 17.83, p-value < 0.001.

CONCLUSIONS

The study concluded that awareness of pregnant women after being given the tele-education program about COVID-19 vaccination decreased their hesitancy and improved their willingness to participate in the COVID-19 vaccination. Therefore, health workers should focus on providing scientific-based information about the vaccine to reduce the doubts of pregnant women about participating in the COVID-19.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and its Reasons in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy becomes the major bottleneck to the global healthcare system in minimizing the spread of the virus. This study aimed at assessing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its reasons among residents of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between May 16 to 29, 2021 in purposively selected four districts of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A structured questionnaire was developed and then designed on Google Forms platforms to collect data from study participants after obtaining a verbal consent form. A total of 422 study participants were included in the survey. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel and then exported to the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 for analysis.

Results

Face masks and alcohol hand rub/ sanitizer are used by 50. 7 and 24.9% of respondents when required. COVID-19 was thought to have been generated by humans by a substantial percentage of study participants (38.2%). About half (50.7%) and 24.9% of respondents use face masks and alcohol hand rub/sanitizer always when it is required, respectively. A large number of study participants (38.2%) believed that origin of COVID-19 is man-made. Overall, 242 (57.4%) of study participants reported COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Fear of vaccine side effects (49.6%) was the most common reason for hesitancy. Doubt about its effectiveness (33.9%), not having enough information about the COVID-19 vaccine, preferring another way of protection, and unreliable of the vaccine (due to its short development period) were also the most frequently mentioned reasons for not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Conclusions

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy rate was high in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia during the study period. Fear of side effects, doubts about its effectiveness, and not having enough information about the COVID-19 vaccine were major reasons for hesitancy. Continuous awareness creation to the community on the importance of vaccination is warranted by health professionals and healthcare cadres.

Preparedness of Primary Care Centers for COVID-19 epidemic in Aseer region, KSA

Objective

The objective of this study is to assesses the preparedness of primary care centers (PHCs) in Aseer region, KSA, for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods

This survey was conducted during April 2020 in PHCs. The questionnaire was developed by the investigators and sent via e-mail to health care providers of primary health care centers (PHCCs). The questionnaire consisted of five parts to assesses readiness of PHCs, knowledge, attitude, and practice of health care providers (HCPs) concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. Data entry and analysis were managed by SPSS version 20.

Results

Three hundred and seventy-one HCPs participated in this study. Most of them were males (58%), doctors or nurses (81%). Almost all PHCCs have adequate infection control resources, with some shortage in sterilization rooms. Most of participants received on-job training (85%) and had good knowledge about COVID-19. Attitudes of participants showed variation toward COVID-19; 74% were afraid to be infected, 54% were afraid to care for infected patients, 58% were ready for vaccination, and 80% thought that COVID-19 has a huge negative impact on the health care system. Compliance with preventive measures ranged from 66% for keeping social distance to 90% for using personal protective equipment. Most of the participants had positive contributions regarding health education of individuals and communities using different methods including the new social media (80%).

Conclusion

This study revealed that PHCCs in Aseer region were well equipped and HCPs were well prepared to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. There are some shortage in a few items of infection control at PHCCs and gaps in knowledge and practice among HCPs which need continuous assessment and monitoring to overcome such barriers.

Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccination on Social Media: A Cross-Platform Analysis

During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media content analysis allowed for tracking attitudes toward newly introduced vaccines. However, current evidence is limited to single social media platforms. Our objective was to compare arguments used by anti-vaxxers in the context of COVID-19 vaccines across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. We obtained the data set of 53,671 comments regarding COVID-19 vaccination published between August 2021 and February 2022. After that, we established categories of anti-vaccine content, manually classified comments, and compared the frequency of occurrence of the categories between social media platforms. We found that anti-vaxxers on social media use 14 categories of arguments against COVID-19 vaccines. The frequency of these categories varies across different social media platforms. The anti-vaxxers' activity on Facebook and Twitter is similar, focusing mainly on distrust of government and allegations regarding vaccination safety and effectiveness. Anti-vaxxers on TikTok mainly focus on personal freedom, while Instagram users encouraging vaccination often face criticism suggesting that vaccination is a private matter that should not be shared. Due to the differences in vaccine sentiment among users of different social media platforms, future research and educational campaigns should consider these distinctions, focusing more on the platforms popular among adolescents (i.e., Instagram and TikTok).

Influences of social media usage on public attitudes and behavior toward COVID-19 vaccine in the Arab world

Background

Vaccination programs are effective only when a significant percentage of people are vaccinated. Social media usage is arguably one of the factors affecting public attitudes toward vaccines.

Objective

This study aims to identify if the social media usage factors can predict Arab people’s attitudes and behavior toward the COVID-19 vaccines.

Methods

An online survey was conducted in the Arab countries, and 217 Arab nationals participated in this study. Logistic regression was applied to identify what demographics and social media usage factors predict public attitudes and behavior toward the COVID-19 vaccines.

Results

Of the 217 participants, 56.2% (n = 122) were willing to get the vaccines, and 41.5% (n = 90) were hesitant. This study shows that none of the social media usage factors were significant enough to predict the actual vaccine acceptance behavior. However, some social media usage factors could predict public attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccines. For example, compared to infrequent social media users, frequent social media users were 2.85 times more likely to agree that the risk of COVID-19 was being exaggerated (OR = 2.85, 95% CI = 0.86–9.45, p = .046). On the other hand, participants with more trust in vaccine information shared by their contacts were less likely to agree that decision-makers had ensured the safety of vaccines (OR = 0.528, 95% CI = 0.276–1.012, p = .05).

Conclusion

Information shared on social media may affect public attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines. Therefore, disseminating correct and validated information about the COVID-19 vaccines on social media is important to increase public trust and counter the impact of incorrect misinformation.

Social media and attitudes towards a COVID-19 vaccination: A systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Vaccine hesitancy continues to limit global efforts in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging research demonstrates the role of social media in disseminating information and potentially influencing people's attitudes towards public health campaigns. This systematic review sought to synthesize the current evidence regarding the potential role of social media in shaping COVID-19 vaccination attitudes, and to explore its potential for shaping public health interventions to address the issue of vaccine hesitancy.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of the studies published from inception to 13 of March2022 by searching PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsychNET, Scopus, CINAHL, and MEDLINE. Studies that reported outcomes related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine (attitudes, opinion, etc.) gathered from the social media platforms, and those analyzing the relationship between social media use and COVID-19 hesitancy/acceptance were included. Studies that reported no outcome of interest or analyzed data from sources other than social media (websites, newspapers, etc.) will be excluded. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality of all cross-sectional studies included in this review. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021283219).

FINDINGS

Of the 2539 records identified, a total of 156 articles fully met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the quality of the cross-sectional studies was moderate - 2 studies received 10 stars, 5 studies received 9 stars, 9 studies were evaluated with 8, 12 studies with 7,16 studies with 6, 11 studies with 5, and 6 studies with 4 stars. The included studies were categorized into four categories. Cross-sectional studies reporting the association between reliance on social media and vaccine intentions mainly observed a negative relationship. Studies that performed thematic analyses of extracted social media data, mainly observed a domination of vaccine hesitant topics. Studies that explored the degree of polarization of specific social media contents related to COVID-19 vaccines observed a similar degree of content for both positive and negative tone posted on different social media platforms. Finally, studies that explored the fluctuations of vaccination attitudes/opinions gathered from social media identified specific events as significant cofactors that affect and shape vaccination intentions of individuals.

INTERPRETATION

This thorough examination of the various roles social media can play in disseminating information to the public, as well as how individuals behave on social media in the context of public health events, articulates the potential of social media as a platform of public health intervention to address vaccine hesitancy.

FUNDING

None.

Analyzing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among University Students in UAE: A Cross-Sectional Study

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> While vaccines may be a key measure in overcoming the pandemic, their hesitancy among the population may impede the ongoing efforts of governments and health authorities in a country. Universities are considered the hubs of the transition of individuals to young adults, understanding the hesitancy of this population stratum and addressing apprehensions that may exist is of utmost importance. This study aims to explore the attitude and hesitancy of students in UAE universities toward the COVID-19 vaccines along with comparing two particular demographics to see if there exists a difference in outcomes-medical and nonmedical students. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A web-based self-administered questionnaire was sent following Ethics Committee approval, to students at various universities in the UAE containing questions regarding general demographic data, COVID-19 related anamnestic characteristics as well as questions on motivational factors and refusal factors regarding the vaccine. Using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 28, descriptive analyses were performed for the demographic variables and inferential statistics were carried out using Pearson’s Chi-squared (χ²) test. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 385 participants consented to the survey, with a majority of female respondents (76.6%). In our demographics which included respondents of an average age of 21 years, 91.4% were expatriates, and 48.1% were based in Dubai. Approximately 67% of those surveyed had been vaccinated, with Sinopharm being the most commonly taken vaccine (70.4%). “Concerns over side effects” seems to be the most common reason for vaccine refusal (58.7%) among all demographics whether vaccinated or not. Our sample included a majority of students with a medical and health sciences background (58.7%), who disagreed more often with the belief that they were completely protected by receiving the COVID-19 vaccine as compared to the nonmedical students. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> COVID-19 vaccination rates among university students in UAE are lower than the national average, demonstrating the importance of integrating a specific awareness program for this group. Preparing medical students for the future is a beneficial long-term strategy, and hence, further research regarding vaccine hesitancy must be done focusing primarily on them to ensure their future patients receive the best vaccine-related recommendations.

Incidence and severity of SARS-CoV-2 virus post COVID-19 vaccination: A cross-sectional study in India

INTRODUCTION

Several sociodemographic variables, including ethnic inequality, have been identified as potentially influencing the uptake of COVID-19 vaccinations. To develop herd immunity against COVID-19, at least 70-85% of the population must be vaccinated. As the situation with COVID-19 changes, the public's perception keeps fluctuating. We designed a survey to determine the prevalence of vaccinated individuals and the rate of infectivity post-vaccination. We also aimed to study the clinical manifestations and infectivity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus post-vaccination.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 10, 2021 to July 10, 2021 across India through a pre-tested validated semi-structured self-administered electronic questionnaire, to the study subjects with objectives explained and the confidentiality of the data and results had been assured. The questionnaires were prepared using Google forms and the link was sent across social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and various social platforms where people are actively engaged following the restrictions and protocols of social distancing. General demographic data, followed by their lifestyle and comorbid conditions, and data on their vaccination, infectivity, and side effects were collected.

RESULTS

We included 2334 participants in the study, of which the majority of the study participants were in the age group of 25-34 years (38.6%). 1729 were vaccinated individuals of which 80.7% had received Covishield and 17.8% had received Covaxin. Around 61.1% have received both doses among 1729 vaccinated individuals and 38.9% had received only one dose of vaccine. The majority of the fully vaccinated individuals had a gap of 4-5 weeks for the second dose (37.1%) followed by 5-6 weeks (11.2%). Post-vaccination 50.8% had experienced muscle pain, 46% had experienced fatigue, 36.5% weakness, and 12.3% back pain. Among vaccinated 26% turned out to be COVID-19 positive and 44.5% non-vaccinated got infected. The odds of infection among non -vaccinated individuals was 2.27 times higher than vaccinated individuals. Individuals who encountered the viral antigen for the second time experienced either through vaccination or infection demonstrated exaggerated inflammatory response which is explained by the antibody-dependent enhancement phenomenon without life-threatening complications.

CONCLUSION

Although more than 50% of the vaccinated individuals experienced some form of musculoskeletal side effects, we noted a high acceptance rate (74%) of vaccination among the participants. The vaccinated individuals were two times safer from infection compared to the non-vaccinated individuals.

Cyberchondria, Fear of COVID-19, and Risk Perception Mediate the Association between Problematic Social Media Use and Intention to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine

Vaccination is the most effective way to control the COVID-19 pandemic, but vaccination hesitancy threatens this effort worldwide. Consequently, there is a need to understand what influences individuals’ intention to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Restriction of information gathering on societal developments to social media may influence attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination through exposure to disinformation and imbalanced arguments. The present study examined the association between problematic social media use and intention to get the COVID-19 vaccine, taking into account the mediating roles of cyberchondria, fear of COVID-19, and COVID-19 risk perception. In a cross-sectional survey study, a total of 10,843 residents of Qazvin City, Iran completed measures on problematic social media use, fear of COVID-19, cyberchondria, COVID-19 risk perception, and intention to get a COVID-19 vaccine. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results showed that there was no direct association between problematic social media use and intention to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Nonetheless, cyberchondria, fear of COVID-19, and COVID-19 risk perception (each or serially) mediated associations between problematic social media use and intention to get a COVID-19 vaccine. These results add to the understanding of the role of problematic social media use in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, i.e., it is not the quantity of social media use per se that matters. This knowledge of the mediating roles of cyberchondria, fear of COVID-19, and COVID-19 risk perception can be used by public health experts and policymakers when planning educational interventions and other initiatives in COVID-19 vaccination programs.