Determining the Attitudes of Individuals in the Community towards Vaccine Applications and their Attitudes After the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: The concept of anti-vaccine is as old as vaccination. Despite this, many individuals who were anti-vaccine or indecisive in the past were expecting a vaccine for this disease. Research Questions 1. What is the perspective of individuals with and without COVID-19 against COVID-19 vaccine applications? 2. Do individuals with chronic diseases increase the rate of vaccination? Objectives: The concept of anti-vaccination is as old as vaccination. However, during the pandemic process, many individuals have come to expect a vaccine for this disease. This study was carried out to examine the attitudes of individuals in the community towards vaccine applications and their attitudes after the Covid-19 epidemic. Method: A sample of 509 volunteers was formed from the population of uncertain size using the random sampling method. The data were transformed into online questionnaires of socio-demographic characteristics form and anti-vaccine scale and delivered to individuals via social media. Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency was 0.92. For variable analysis, t-test, Kruskal-Wallis tests, percentile, mean and standard deviation evaluations were performed according to whether they were parametric or non-parametric. Findings: Considering the reasons for not getting the Covid-19 vaccine, it was seen that 47.9% of the participants answered "I'm waiting in line", and the remaining answers were "I don't want" (9.6%), "I don't trust the vaccine" (9%), and "I'm afraid" (0.6%). When the total score averages of the anti-vaccine scale were evaluated according to the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants; It was determined that the 18-40 age group, which was younger than the individuals participating in the study, had a higher anti-vaccination with a mean of 49.74±15.63 (p<0.05). 8.1% of the participants had a chronic disease, and it was determined that the anti-vaccine scale score was 41.85±14.79, the anti-vaccination scale score of the individuals without chronic disease was 46.37±15.35, and the vaccine response was higher in those without chronic disease (p=0.07). In addition, individuals with Covid-19 had 48.62±15.64, those whose family died due to Covid-19 disease had 47.48±16.86, and those who were not vaccinated had higher averages with 47.28±15.09, although it did not make a significant difference (p>0.05). However, it 47 was determined that the mean anti-vaccination mean of individuals who had a family member with Covid-19 disease (48.02±16.48), who were not vaccinated (47.28±15.09), Endocrine or Cardiovascular system disease were found to be significantly higher. When evaluated according to the question asked to the patients about why they do not prefer to be vaccinated; it was seen that the highest mean was 63.17±15.03 in the group giving the answer "I don't trust the vaccine" (p<0.05). Results: It has been seen that the attitudes after the Covid-19 epidemic, the obvious reason for vaccine rejection, are people's prejudices against vaccines and the way they interpret the situations they experience about the disease. In order to reduce vaccine rejection, educational organizations should be planned on the benefits of vaccines before the society has prejudices against vaccines.