COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Zambia: A Qualitative Study among Pharmacy Students at the University of Zambia

Abstract

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines were introduced to contain the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, there have been challenges regarding the acceptance and uptake of these vaccines in Zambia. The study aimed to explore the factors that contribute to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among pharmacy students in Zambia. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that employed qualitative methods using a phenomenological approach. The study was conducted among 20 undergraduate pharmacy students schooling at the University of Zambia. The interviews were recorded in a semi-structured questionnaire and responses were analysed using Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method. The analysis was based on factors that influence COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and the student's thoughts about the vaccines. The responses were divided into five themes: fear of potential adverse effects, the ineffectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, fear of being used as experiments, preventive measures better than COVID-19 vaccines and the need for better education on the benefits and adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines. Results: The findings indicate increased hesitancy against COVID-19 vaccines among pharmacy students in Zambia. Most participants were hesitant to receive the vaccine due to fear of experiencing adverse effects. Besides, there was also a concern about vaccine effectiveness in protecting individuals against COVID-19. Further, the students felt that the COVID-19 vaccines did not pass through all the necessary stages of vaccine development due to the short period they were introduced. Furthermore, the participants had fear of being used in experiments such as clinical trials. The students felt that adhering to the recommended COVID-19 prevention measures was better than being vaccinated. Conclusion: The hesitance against COVID-19 vaccines among pharmacy students was a result of many factors. The concern regarding potential adverse effects and effectiveness of ...