Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 Student, Greenwood Laboratory School, Springfield, Missouri, USA
2 Caribbean Medical University School of Medicine, 25 Pater Euwensweg, Willemstad, Curaçao
3 Undergraduate Student, Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behavior Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
4 School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123 Stephen’s Green, Dublin, D02 YN77, Ireland
5 Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Vaccine hesitancy presents a major challenge during the COVID‑19 pandemic. It
is crucial to address the factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy necessary to control the associated
morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to investigate the impact of professional medical guidance
on the likelihood of receiving the COVID‑19 vaccine in immigrants of USA and Canada.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 92 immigrants in the USA and Canada who predominantly
spoke Malayalam were recruited using social media platforms. An online survey was administered
investigating participants’ confidence in receiving the COVID‑19 vaccine. Following, a short
webinar was conducted by a medical professional explaining the efficacy and safety of the vaccine.
A postwebinar survey was immediately given assessing the confidence and likelihood of receiving
the vaccine. SPSS was used to generate descriptive statistics and Pearson Chi‑square analysis
where appropriate.
RESULTS: Results revealed that participants who attended the webinar reported greater confidence
in receiving the COVID‑19 vaccine. There was a statistically significant difference between pre‑ and
postwebinar confidence scores for the COVID‑19 vaccine, 2 (12, n = 80) = 43.34, P < 0.01.
CONCLUSION: Results from the current study demonstrate the successful delivery of professional
medical guidance to the general public through online small‑group sessions to help address the
misconceptions surrounding the COVID‑19 vaccine and combat vaccine hesitancy among vulnerable
populations. Future studies should focus on interventions addressing vaccine hesitancy in larger and
diverse populations and analyze other barriers to vaccination.
Keywords
Vaccine hesitancy: Definition, scope and determinants. Vaccine
2015;33:4161‑4.
2. Harrison EA, Wu JW. Vaccine confidence in the time of COVID‑19.
Eur J Epidemiol 2020;35:325‑30.
3. Khubchandani J, Sharma S, Price JH, Wiblishauser MJ, Sharma M,
Webb FJ. COVID‑19 vaccination hesitancy in the United States:
A rapid national assessment. J Community Health 2021;46:270‑7.
4. Kashte S, Gulbake A, El‑Amin Iii SF, Gupta A. COVID‑19
vaccines: Rapid development, implications, challenges and future prospects. Hum Cell 2021;34:711‑33.
5. Callaghan T, Moghtaderi A, Lueck JA, Hotez P, Strych U, Dor A,
et al. Correlates and disparities of intention to vaccinate against
COVID‑19. Soc Sci Med 2021;272:113638.
6. Fisher KA, Bloomstone SJ, Walder J, Crawford S, Fouayzi H,
Mazor KM. Attitudes toward a potential SARS‑CoV‑2 vaccine:
A survey of U.S. adults. Ann Intern Med 2020;173:964‑73.
7. World Health Organizations. Ten Threats to Global Health in 2019.
(2019). Retrieved on April 20, 2021 from https://www.who.int/
news-room/spotlight/ten-threats-to-global-health-in-2019.
8. DeStefano F, Shimabukuro TT. The MMR Vaccine and Autism.
Annu Rev Virol 2019;6:585‑600.
9. Razai MS, Osama T, McKechnie DG, Majeed A. Covid‑19 vaccine
hesitancy among ethnic minority groups. BMJ 2021;372:n513.
10. RobertsonE, ReeveKS, Niedzwiedz CL, Moore J, BlakeM, GreenM,
et al. Predictors of COVID‑19 vaccine hesitancy in the UK Household
Longitudinal Study. Brain Behav Immunity 2021;94:41‑50.
11. Alabdulla, M., Reagu, S. M., Al-Khal, A., Elzain, M., & Jones, R.
M. (2021). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and attitudes in Qatar: A
national cross-sectional survey of a migrant-majority population.
Influenza and other respiratory viruses, 15(3), 361-370.
12. Hadaye RS, Shastri S, Lavangare SR. A cross-sectional study to
assess the awareness and practices related to adult immunization
among nursing students in a metropolitan city. Journal of
education and health promotion, 2018;7:129. https://doi.
org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_55_18.
13. Meena SP, Jhirwal M, Puranik AK, Sharma N, Rodha MS,
Lodha M, et al. Awareness and experience of health‑care workers
during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. J Educ Health Promot
2021;10:110.