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Global Health Econ Sustain COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Kwara State

4.3. Relationship between family and friends’ believed the vaccine was safe were also willing to get
approval and vaccine uptake vaccinated. Previous studies have also observed trust as a
Social factors have always been a constant determinant pivotal determinant of vaccine acceptance. Steffens et al.
in people’s choices or decisions from time immemorial. (2022) described the importance of trust in vaccine safety
Factors such as family members’ approval or friends’ as a core determinant for vaccine acceptance, highlighting
approval were observed to significantly affect vaccine that individuals with lower trust levels in the vaccine were
uptake in this study. Out of the respondents who claimed less likely to opt for vaccination. In addition, Thornton
that their family and friends would approve of getting (2022) and Amo-Adjei et al. (2022) also reported the
the vaccine, 244 (97.6%) were willing to get it. Similar significant impact of vaccine safety, trust in the vaccine,
findings have been reported in South America (Cerda & and confidence in government officials and health agencies
García, 2021), Europe (Heyerdahl et al., 2022), and Africa on vaccine uptake.
(Adedeji-Adenola et al., 2022; Amo-Adjei et al., 2021), 4.6. Limitations of study
where various levels of vaccine hesitancy were observed
among respondents due to non-approval of the vaccine However, it is crucial to acknowledge several limitations
by their family or friends. This observation may be due that may impact the interpretation and generalizability
to the perception that the families prioritize protecting of the results. First, the sample size calculation relied on
their own, fostering a strong sense of unity in decision- the total population of the state due to the absence of
making akin to the “protect the pack” mindset. Hence, if specific data on the number of health-care workers in
family members stand by a decision, it is considered wise Kwara State or estimates of their proportion. The state
to remain within such decisions. This is often rampant in population was utilized, considering health-care workers
African settings and, as such, could be responsible for the as a characteristic within this broader population. While
findings observed in this study. a precise population of health-care workers may have
affected the total sample size, we believe that any difference
4.4. Relationship between access to vaccination would likely be negligible and not significantly affect the
centers and vaccine acceptance overall results. However, it is worth noting that the sample
In this study, it was observed that easy access to vaccination size used in this study may not fully portray the complexity
centers positively influenced the willingness to receive of COVID-19 vaccine behavior among health-care workers
the COVID-19 vaccine. Specifically, 93.3% of individuals in Kwara State. A larger amount of coverage may be needed
with convenient access to vaccination centers expressed a to ascertain this. Nevertheless, we believe that the results
likelihood of getting vaccinated. This observation aligns obtained from this study serve as a representation of the
with previous studies highlighting the significance of study area. Further research covering a larger number
distance and accessibility to vaccination centers as key of health-care workers is warranted to identify the
determinants of vaccine uptake (Phillips et al., 2017; actual state of COVID-19 vaccine behavior among this
Sato, 2020). Likewise, Steffens et al. (2022) reported that group in the study area. In addition, this study mainly
individuals are more inclined to participate in health- concentrated on health-care workers and did not directly
care programs, including vaccination, when such services describe the vaccine acceptance behavior of the general
are easily accessible or located closer to them. The easy public. An elaborate study encompassing urban and rural
accessibility and proximity of COVID-19 vaccination communities is necessary to identify direct COVID-19
centers to the public are very important in improving behaviors within the general population of Kwara State.
willingness for vaccine uptake. Therefore, policymakers
and health agencies should prioritize ensuring convenient 5. Conclusion
access to vaccination centers when planning intervention The study identified several key factors influencing
programs for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. COVID-19 vaccine uptake behavior among the study
group, including level of education, trust in vaccine safety,
4.5. Relationship between trust and safety of health-care professionals’ recommendations, access to
vaccine and vaccine uptake vaccination centers, and approval from family or friends.
In this study, participants exhibited differing levels of trust Notably, trust in vaccines emerged as the most significant
and perceptions of safety regarding a new COVID-19 determinant. The assessment of health-care professionals in
vaccine, and these individual trust levels had a significant this study underscores their potential to influence vaccine
impact on their vaccine acceptance. Notably, people behavior within Ilorin, Kwara State. Their high level of
who claimed to trust the vaccine were outrightly willing COVID-19 acceptance indicates that they could positively
to receive the vaccine (100%), while 98% of those who influence the vaccine acceptance of the general public.

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2024) 8 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.2462