COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance and Hesitancy in Healthcare Workers and the General Population: A Systematic Review and Policy Recommendations

Alessandra Pereira da Silva (), Luciana Ribeiro Castaneda, Ana Paula Cavalcante de Oliveira, Inês Fronteira, Isabel Craveiro, Leila Senna Maia, Raphael Chança, Mathieu Boniol, Paulo Ferrinho and Mario Roberto Dal Poz
Additional contact information
Alessandra Pereira da Silva: Instituto Nacional do Câncer, Rua Marquês de Pombal 125, 12° andar Centro, Rio de Janeiro 20230-240, RJ, Brazil
Luciana Ribeiro Castaneda: Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524-7° andar, Blocos D e E–Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro 20550-013, RJ, Brazil
Ana Paula Cavalcante de Oliveira: Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524-7° andar, Blocos D e E–Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro 20550-013, RJ, Brazil
Inês Fronteira: Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
Isabel Craveiro: Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
Leila Senna Maia: Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524-7° andar, Blocos D e E–Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro 20550-013, RJ, Brazil
Raphael Chança: Instituto Nacional do Câncer, Rua Marquês de Pombal 125, 12° andar Centro, Rio de Janeiro 20230-240, RJ, Brazil
Mathieu Boniol: Health Workforce Department, World Health Organization, Av. Appia 20, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Paulo Ferrinho: Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
Mario Roberto Dal Poz: Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524-7° andar, Blocos D e E–Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro 20550-013, RJ, Brazil

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 9, 1-14

Abstract: Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic challenged the scientific community to find and develop a vaccine to fight the disease. However, problems with achieving high vaccine coverage have emerged, even among high-risk groups such as healthcare workers (HCWs). Objective: The objective of this study is to examine factors that influence HCW’s and the general population’s adherence to COVID-19 vaccination and national policies to vaccinate HCWs and other target groups. Methods: This study implemented a systematic review. The eligibility criterion for inclusion was being a HCW, target population for COVID-19 vaccination, or general population. Vaccination was the target intervention, and the COVID-19 pandemic was the context. We selected publications published between 1 January 2020 and 31 March 2022. Qualitative synthesis used a meta-aggregation approach. Results: Nineteen articles were included in the review, with study samples varying from 48 to 5708 participants. Most of the evidence came from cross-sectional and qualitative studies. The main findings were related to vaccine hesitancy rather than acceptance. Factors associated with HCW vaccine hesitancy included subjective feelings such as safety concerns, rapid vaccine development, and insufficient testing. Countries have adopted few public policies to address this problem, and the main concern is whether to enforce vaccination and the extent to which measures are legal. Conclusion: The quality of the evidence base remains weak. Skepticism, mistrust, and hesitancy toward vaccination are global issues that can jeopardize vaccination coverage.

Keywords: COVID-19; vaccination coverage; vaccine hesitancy; vaccination refusal; healthcare workers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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