Willingness to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials; a survey among a population of healthcare workers in Uganda.
<h4>Background</h4>Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 and may therefore be a suitable population for COVID-19 vaccine trials. We conducted a survey to evaluate willingness-to-participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials in a population of HCWs at th...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0251992&type=printable |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849469244899590144 |
|---|---|
| author | Jonathan Kitonsa Onesmus Kamacooko Ubaldo Mushabe Bahemuka Freddie Kibengo Ayoub Kakande Anne Wajja Vincent Basajja Alfred Lumala Edward Ssemwanga Robert Asaba Joseph Mugisha Benjamin F Pierce Robin Shattock Pontiano Kaleebu Eugene Ruzagira |
| author_facet | Jonathan Kitonsa Onesmus Kamacooko Ubaldo Mushabe Bahemuka Freddie Kibengo Ayoub Kakande Anne Wajja Vincent Basajja Alfred Lumala Edward Ssemwanga Robert Asaba Joseph Mugisha Benjamin F Pierce Robin Shattock Pontiano Kaleebu Eugene Ruzagira |
| author_sort | Jonathan Kitonsa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4>Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 and may therefore be a suitable population for COVID-19 vaccine trials. We conducted a survey to evaluate willingness-to-participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials in a population of HCWs at three hospitals in Uganda.<h4>Methods</h4>The survey was conducted between September and November 2020. Using a standardised questionnaire, data were collected on socio-demographics, previous participation in health research, COVID-19 information sources, underlying health conditions, and willingness-to-participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials. Data were analysed descriptively and a binomial generalised linear model with a log link function used to investigate factors associated with unwillingness to participate.<h4>Results</h4>657 HCWs (female, 63%) were enrolled with a mean age of 33 years (Standard Deviation, 10). Overall willingness-to-participate was 70.2%. Key motivating factors for participation were: hope of being protected against COVID-19 (81.1%), altruism (73.3%), and the opportunity to get health care (26.0%). Selected hypothetical trial attributes reduced willingness-to-participate as follows: weekly-quarterly study visits over a 12-month period (70.2%-63.2%, P = 0.026); provision of approximately 50ml of blood at each study visit (70.2%-63.2%, P = 0.026); risk of mild-moderate local adverse reactions (70.2%-60.3%, P<0.001); chance of receiving candidate vaccine or placebo (70.2%-56.9%, P<0.001); and delay of pregnancy [Overall, 70.2%-57.1% P<0.001); Female, 62.8%-48.4% (P = 0.002); Male, 82.5%-71.5% (P = 0.003)]. Collectively, these attributes reduced willingness-to-participate from [70.2%-42.2% (P<0.001) overall; 82.5%-58.1% (P<0.001) in men; 62.8%-32.6% (P<0.001) in women]. Among individuals that were unwilling to participate, the commonest barriers were concerns over vaccine safety (54.6%) and fear of catching SARS-CoV-2 (31.6%). Unwillingness to participate was associated with being female (aRR 1.97, CI 1.46-2.67, P<0.001) and having university or other higher-level education (aRR 1.52, CI 1.05-2.2, P = 0.026).<h4>Conclusions</h4>Willingness-to-participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials among HCWs in Uganda is high but may be affected by vaccine trial requirements and concerns about the safety of candidate vaccines. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b612cbc71c1c4a71a887a2b9f28a3f8c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj-art-b612cbc71c1c4a71a887a2b9f28a3f8c2025-08-20T03:25:34ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-01165e025199210.1371/journal.pone.0251992Willingness to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials; a survey among a population of healthcare workers in Uganda.Jonathan KitonsaOnesmus KamacookoUbaldo Mushabe BahemukaFreddie KibengoAyoub KakandeAnne WajjaVincent BasajjaAlfred LumalaEdward SsemwangaRobert AsabaJoseph MugishaBenjamin F PierceRobin ShattockPontiano KaleebuEugene Ruzagira<h4>Background</h4>Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at high risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 and may therefore be a suitable population for COVID-19 vaccine trials. We conducted a survey to evaluate willingness-to-participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials in a population of HCWs at three hospitals in Uganda.<h4>Methods</h4>The survey was conducted between September and November 2020. Using a standardised questionnaire, data were collected on socio-demographics, previous participation in health research, COVID-19 information sources, underlying health conditions, and willingness-to-participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials. Data were analysed descriptively and a binomial generalised linear model with a log link function used to investigate factors associated with unwillingness to participate.<h4>Results</h4>657 HCWs (female, 63%) were enrolled with a mean age of 33 years (Standard Deviation, 10). Overall willingness-to-participate was 70.2%. Key motivating factors for participation were: hope of being protected against COVID-19 (81.1%), altruism (73.3%), and the opportunity to get health care (26.0%). Selected hypothetical trial attributes reduced willingness-to-participate as follows: weekly-quarterly study visits over a 12-month period (70.2%-63.2%, P = 0.026); provision of approximately 50ml of blood at each study visit (70.2%-63.2%, P = 0.026); risk of mild-moderate local adverse reactions (70.2%-60.3%, P<0.001); chance of receiving candidate vaccine or placebo (70.2%-56.9%, P<0.001); and delay of pregnancy [Overall, 70.2%-57.1% P<0.001); Female, 62.8%-48.4% (P = 0.002); Male, 82.5%-71.5% (P = 0.003)]. Collectively, these attributes reduced willingness-to-participate from [70.2%-42.2% (P<0.001) overall; 82.5%-58.1% (P<0.001) in men; 62.8%-32.6% (P<0.001) in women]. Among individuals that were unwilling to participate, the commonest barriers were concerns over vaccine safety (54.6%) and fear of catching SARS-CoV-2 (31.6%). Unwillingness to participate was associated with being female (aRR 1.97, CI 1.46-2.67, P<0.001) and having university or other higher-level education (aRR 1.52, CI 1.05-2.2, P = 0.026).<h4>Conclusions</h4>Willingness-to-participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials among HCWs in Uganda is high but may be affected by vaccine trial requirements and concerns about the safety of candidate vaccines.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0251992&type=printable |
| spellingShingle | Jonathan Kitonsa Onesmus Kamacooko Ubaldo Mushabe Bahemuka Freddie Kibengo Ayoub Kakande Anne Wajja Vincent Basajja Alfred Lumala Edward Ssemwanga Robert Asaba Joseph Mugisha Benjamin F Pierce Robin Shattock Pontiano Kaleebu Eugene Ruzagira Willingness to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials; a survey among a population of healthcare workers in Uganda. PLoS ONE |
| title | Willingness to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials; a survey among a population of healthcare workers in Uganda. |
| title_full | Willingness to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials; a survey among a population of healthcare workers in Uganda. |
| title_fullStr | Willingness to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials; a survey among a population of healthcare workers in Uganda. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Willingness to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials; a survey among a population of healthcare workers in Uganda. |
| title_short | Willingness to participate in COVID-19 vaccine trials; a survey among a population of healthcare workers in Uganda. |
| title_sort | willingness to participate in covid 19 vaccine trials a survey among a population of healthcare workers in uganda |
| url | https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0251992&type=printable |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jonathankitonsa willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT onesmuskamacooko willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT ubaldomushabebahemuka willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT freddiekibengo willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT ayoubkakande willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT annewajja willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT vincentbasajja willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT alfredlumala willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT edwardssemwanga willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT robertasaba willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT josephmugisha willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT benjaminfpierce willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT robinshattock willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT pontianokaleebu willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda AT eugeneruzagira willingnesstoparticipateincovid19vaccinetrialsasurveyamongapopulationofhealthcareworkersinuganda |