Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Anna Soveri, Linda C. Karlsson, Jan Antfolk, Otto Maki, Linnea Karlsson, Hasse Karlsson, Saara Nolvi, Max Karukivi, Mikael Lindfelt, Stephan Lewandowsky
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public perceptions of other vaccines and diseases. The results showed that during the pandemic, more people received or intended to receive the influenza vaccine compared to before. Participants also perceived influenza as more dangerous during the pandemic and believed vaccines to be safer and more beneficial. However, for childhood vaccines, only perceived safety increased. Additionally, trust in healthcare professionals increased during the pandemic. These findings suggest a spillover effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on how people view other vaccines and illnesses.
Article
Immunology
Nihal Durmaz, Murat Suman, Murat Ersoy, Emel Orun
Summary: Vaccination hesitancy is an important public health issue. In Turkey, parents who hesitate to vaccinate their children have a negative attitude towards COVID-19 vaccines and are influenced by social media. Parents need more information about vaccines to build confidence.
Article
Immunology
Masaki Machida, Itaru Nakamura, Takako Kojima, Reiko Saito, Tomoki Nakaya, Tomoya Hanibuchi, Tomoko Takamiya, Yuko Odagiri, Noritoshi Fukushima, Hiroyuki Kikuchi, Shiho Amagasa, Hidehiro Watanabe, Shigeru Inoue
Summary: This study investigated the acceptance and hesitancy towards the COVID-19 vaccine in Japan, finding that 62.1% of participants were willing to get vaccinated. The research also revealed that vaccine acceptance was lower among women, adults aged 20-49 years, and those with a low-income level. Psychological factors, such as the perceived effectiveness of the vaccine and willingness to protect others, were identified as important factors associated with vaccine acceptance.
Article
Immunology
Azure Tariro Makadzange, Patricia Gundidza, Charles Lau, Janan Dietrich, Norest Beta, Nellie Myburgh, Nyasha Elose, Chiratidzo Ndhlovu, Wilmot James, Lawrence Stanberry
Summary: Despite sufficient vaccine supply, less than 25% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa has received a COVID-19 vaccine. This study surveyed individuals who were late-adopters of vaccination in Zimbabwe to understand their attitudes towards vaccine mandates and vaccines for children. The findings suggest that vaccine mandates can help mitigate vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccine coverage in Africa.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Qiang Wang, Shixin Xiu, Liuqing Yang, Ying Han, Tingting Cui, Naiyang Shi, Minqi Liu, Youqin Yi, Chang Liu, Xuwen Wang, Guoping Yang, Lili Ji, Weijie Zhou, Hui Jin, Shiqi Zhen, Leesa Lin
Summary: One in four parents in China are hesitant about vaccinating their children. A study conducted in Wuxi City, China, found an increasing acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination. However, there is still hesitancy towards routine childhood vaccines, with concerns about vaccine safety and side effects being the most common reasons for refusal.
JMIR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SURVEILLANCE
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Li-Ping Wong, Hai-Yen Lee, Haridah Alias, Sazaly AbuBakar
Summary: This study conducted in Malaysia found that parents' willingness to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 is influenced by their perceived susceptibility to the disease and their concerns about vaccines. A significant number of parents showed a preference for traditional vaccines over mRNA vaccines, citing concerns about mRNA technology and potential side effects. Public education campaigns are needed to address these concerns and increase vaccine acceptance among hesitant parents.
Review
Immunology
Olufunto A. Olusanya, Robert A. Bednarczyk, Robert L. Davis, Arash Shaban-Nejad
Summary: Routine childhood immunizations are vital in controlling diseases, but barriers like COVID-19 and parental vaccine hesitancy threaten progress. Healthcare providers should take steps to increase vaccination rates and utilize public health surveillance systems for effective health policy decisions.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Charles S. Pavia
Summary: Vaccines are effective public health measures to prevent serious illness, but the anti-vaccine sentiment threatens vaccine acceptance by spreading false information. This essay explores the reasons behind this sentiment and proposes interventions to improve vaccine acceptance.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Barbaros Eroglu, Rina Fajri Nuwarda, Iqbal Ramzan, Veysel Kayser
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has had catastrophic impacts globally, and the development of vaccines has been considered the best tool to minimize its effects. Although vaccines have been available and in use for some time, the pandemic is expected to persist due to various factors such as reduced compliance with public health measures, limited vaccine manufacturing and distribution capacity, and the emergence of new variants.
Article
Immunology
Dominik Wawrzuta, Mariusz Jaworski, Joanna Gotlib, Mariusz Panczyk
Summary: Social media platforms enable the rapid spread of misinformation and false statements by anti-vaxxers, leading to increased vaccine hesitancy. An analysis of Facebook comments in Poland revealed 12 different negative arguments against COVID-19 vaccines, including 5 specific to the pandemic. This data can be used to monitor societal attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines and highlight the importance of real-time monitoring due to the rapidly changing popularity of certain arguments on social media.
Article
Immunology
Ruoyan Sun, Henna Budhwani
Summary: The study found that states in the southern U.S. had a significantly higher proportion of negative tweets towards COVID-19 vaccines compared to other regions, while higher-income states reported lower proportions of negative tweets. These results indicate the presence of geographic variability in vaccine sentiments, highlighting the need for tailored vaccine promotion strategies.
Review
Immunology
Jessica D. Altman, Dashiell S. Miner, Abigail A. A. Lee, Aaron E. Asay, Bryce U. Nielson, Agnes M. Rose, Kaitlyn Hinton, Brian D. Poole
Summary: The development of vaccines has played a significant role in disease prevention, but immunization rates have drastically declined since the spread of COVID-19. Despite the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and the world returning to normalcy, vaccine rates have not recovered. This paper reviews published literature to examine the impact of convenience factors, perceived vaccination risks, media or anti-vaccination movements, and healthcare professionals on an individual's compliance with vaccination, with the aim of understanding the factors contributing to the overall change in vaccination rates.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Vivian Hsing-Chun Wang, Diana Silver, Jose A. Pagan
Summary: Despite evidence of the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, there are differences in vaccine beliefs across generations. The study suggests that generational imprinting and different experiences may contribute to these differences. Additional policy strategies may be needed to overcome this public health barrier.
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Ismael Conejero, Melissa Petrier, Pascale Fabbro Peray, Christelle Voisin, Philippe Courtet, Hugo Potier, Loubna Elotmani, Brigitte Lafont, Jean-Yves Lefrant, Jorge Lopez Castroman, Christophe Arbus, Hubert Blain
Summary: The high mortality rate in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic may be associated with psychological disorders in staff. A cross-sectional study in southern France investigated the prevalence and associated factors of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and burnout in nursing home staff. The study found that nearly one third of nursing home workers experienced psychological disorders, with PTSD being reported in 21.4% of responders. Factors such as low-level exposure to COVID-19, fear of managing COVID-19 residents, conflicts with residents and colleagues, cancellation of leave, and temporary worker employment were associated with a higher prevalence of PTSD.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Gunjan Kumar, Samikshya Jena, Niher Tabassum Snigdha, Sakeenabi Basha, Jayaraj Kodangattil Narayanan, Alexander Maniangat Luke
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the acceptability levels of COVID vaccines in different states in India. After screening numerous articles, 23 papers were included in the review, which revealed a high acceptance rate (>70%) for the vaccine among the Indian population. The pooled estimate showed that 62.6% of individuals in India accepted the COVID-19 vaccine, indicating considerable heterogeneity in acceptance.