Journal of Education and Health Promotion

COVID‑19 vaccine hesitancy and influence of professional medical guidance

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Govind Nair 1
. Kirthika Venkatesan 2
. Arjun Nair 3
. Irene N. Firoz 4
. Nisha Nigil Haroon 5

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

Coronavirus
COVID‑19
health care
mRNA vaccines
vaccine hesitancy
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 12, Issue 4
April 2022
Pages 1-9

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