The COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Healthcare Workers: An Exploration of Hesitancy Reasons and Suggestions to Improve Vaccination Rates.

Abstract

Objective: Vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers (HCWs) represents a significant challenge and threat in pandemics. This study aims to identify the predictive factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among HCWs and offer strategies to increase the COVID-19 vaccination rate in healthcare settings.

Materials and methods: This study constitutes the qualitative portion (second part) of a mixed-methods doctoral thesis employing an explanatory design. It was conducted in two distinct pandemic hospitals and involved 23 vaccine-hesitant HCWs. To conduct the interviews, the researchers developed a semi-structured interview form based on the Health Belief Model (HBM).

Results: Upon analyzing the in-depth interviews, we identified six primary reasons for vaccine hesitancy and four different sub-reasons that reinforce vaccine hesitancy. We also collected four key suggestions from vaccine-hesitant HCWs that could potentially persuade them to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Conclusion: This study's findings, which encompass the identification of reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, clarification of underlying factors contributing to hesitancy towards the COVID-19 vaccines, and gathering suggestions from HCWs on how to persuade them to get vaccinated, hold significant value for guiding vaccination campaigns during potential future pandemics.