Predictors of COVID-19 Stress and COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance among Adolescents in Ghana

Emma Sethina Adjaottor, Frimpong-Manso Addo, Florence Aninniwaa Ahorsu, Hsin-Pao Chen and Daniel Kwasi Ahorsu
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Emma Sethina Adjaottor: Department of Behavioural Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi AK-4944, Ghana
Frimpong-Manso Addo: Department of Behavioural Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi AK-4944, Ghana
Florence Aninniwaa Ahorsu: Department of Social Studies, Presbyterian University College, Akropong-Akuapem E2-0007, Ghana
Hsin-Pao Chen: Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, E-DA Hospital, Kaohsiung 824, Taiwan
Daniel Kwasi Ahorsu: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health & Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Rd Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 13, 1-14

Abstract: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to ravage world economies, and with its recent mutations, countries worldwide are finding ways of ramping up their vaccination programmes. This cross-sectional design study, therefore, examined the predictors of COVID-19 stress and COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among adolescents in Ghana. A total of 817 participants were conveniently selected to respond to measures on fear of COVID-19, perceived stigma from COVID-19, self-stigma from COVID-19, believing COVID-19 information, COVID-19 infection prevention behaviours, COVID-19 stress, and COVID-19 vaccination acceptance. It was found that females believed COVID-19 information and accepted COVID-19 vaccination more than males did. Moreover, there were significant relationships between the majority of the COVID-19-related variables. Furthermore, fear of COVID-19, self-stigma from COVID-19, and COVID-19 infection prevention behaviours were found to be significant predictors of COVID-19 stress. Additionally, believing COVID-19 information, danger and contamination fears (a subscale of COVID-19 stress), and traumatic stress (a subscale of COVID-19 stress) were significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccination acceptance. These findings imply that different factors influence different COVID-19 variable. Therefore, careful considerations and research should be employed by health authorities and policymakers in preparing COVID-19 information to target different age groups and for different COVID-19 purposes.

Keywords: fear of COVID-19; perceived stigma from COVID-19; self-stigma from COVID-19; believing COVID-19 information; preventive COVID-19 infection behaviours; COVID-19 stress; COVID-19 vaccination acceptance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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