Vaccination status, acceptance, and knowledge toward a COVID-19 vaccine among healthcare workers: a cross-sectional survey in China

ABSTRACT

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are considered both a high-risk population regarding infections and effective vaccine recommenders whose willingness to be vaccinated is the key to herd immunity. However, the vaccination status, acceptance, and knowledge of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine among HCWs remain unknown. Therefore, we conducted an online survey regarding the above among HCWs in China after the vaccine was made available. Questionnaires returned by 1,779 HCWs were analyzed. Among these participants, 34.9% were vaccinated, 93.9% expressed their willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and vaccine knowledge level was high (89.2%). A bivariate analysis found that participants with a college degree, low level of knowledge, non-exposure to COVID-19 status, and those who are females or nurses have a lower vaccination rate, while participants who are married, with a monthly income of more than 5,000 yuan, and low knowledge levels are less willing to be vaccinated. A multivariate analysis found that participants with a high (OR = 7.042, 95% CI = 4.0918–12.120) or medium (OR = 3.709, 95% CI = 2.072–6.640) knowledge level about COVID-19 vaccines were more willing to be vaccinated. Participants were less likely to accept a COVID-19 vaccine if they were married (OR = 0.503, 95% CI = 0.310–0.815). In summary, Chinese HCWs have a strong willingness to be vaccinated and a high level of knowledge. Measures, such as targeted education for HCWs with low willingness and low level of knowledge, open vaccine review procedures, increased government trust, reduced vaccine costs, and provide vaccination guarantee policies, may improve the vaccination coverage of the at-risk group.

KEYWORDS:

• Coronavirus
• covid-19
• vaccine
• vaccination status
• acceptance
• knowledge
• healthcare workers

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the four chief physicians who revised the knowledge of the COVID-19 vaccine. We would also like to thank all the HCWs who participated in this study and disseminated the questionnaire to others.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the work reported in this paper. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the country.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Guangxi Science and Technology Department [grant number GuikeAB20058002]; the Chongqing Municipal Health Commission [grant number 2020NCPZX06]; Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Province [grant number 2019JJA140354].