Page 80 - IJPS-10-1

International Journal of
Population Studies Drivers of COVID-19 vaccination in South Africa

few related studies that investigated this association (Wang Acknowledgments
et al., 2021; Berihun et al., 2021; Salali & Uysal, 2021).
Expectedly, the awareness of the agony and discomfort The paper was presented at the Conference on Population
suffered by a symptomatic COVID-19 patient would and Reproductive Health Dynamics Under COVID-19 in
likely drive the individuals to get vaccinated for immunity. Sub-Saharan Africa that was hosted by the University of
Such preventive actions related to case familiarity can the Witwatersrand, South Africa through its Demography
be validated by the protection motivation theory of fear and Population Studies Programme. The Conference was
appeals (Rogers, 1975; Witte & Allen, 2000). Based on supported under the auspices of the Science Granting
this theory, individuals are motivated by external triggers Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa (SGCI) and
to adopt protective behaviors. In this study, however, the administered by South Africa’s National Research
association was not statistically significant in both the Foundation in collaboration with Canada’s International
unadjusted and adjusted models. Development Research Center (IDRC), the Swedish
International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida),
The datasets employed for this study contain self- South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation
reported data and captured intentions rather than actual (DSI), the Fons de Recherche due Quebec (FRQ),
behavior. While actual behavior may eventually differ the United Kingdom’s Department of International
from initial intentions and may have a different effect on Development (DFID), the United Kingdom Research and
the association considered in this study, but the fact that Innovation (UKRI) through the Newton Fund.
this study focused on willingness to get vaccinated, and
not whether the respondents have been vaccinated or not, Funding
overrides this limitation. Furthermore, the use of CATI
for data collection may have excluded a section of the None.
population without telephone access. The standardization Conflict of interest
and other methodological adjustments made by the dataset
implementers (NID-CRAM, 2021) are sufficient for this The authors declare no conflict of interest.
study.
Author contributions
5. Conclusion Conceptualization: All authors
While vaccine hesitancy is rife across the world, more than Data curation: All authors
76% of South Africans are willing to get vaccinated against Formal analysis: All authors
COVID-19. Our findings showed that the risks of being Methodology: All authors
infected and self-reported health status were significantly Writing – original draft: All authors
associated with higher willingness to get vaccinated. Writing – review & editing: All authors
Case familiarity was also positively associated with the
willingness to get vaccinated but the association was not Ethics approval and consent to participate
statistically significant. For about 24% of the population The implementer of the NIDS-CRAM Survey obtained
that were not willing to get vaccinated, their reasons, an ethics approval from the University of Cape Town
according to the NIDS-CRAM survey, were largely about Commerce Ethics Committee to conduct the survey (REC
trust in the vaccine’s efficacy and side effects (NIDS- 2020/04/017).
CRAM, 2021). About 17% of the population considered
the vaccines as harmful and unsafe and would only get Consent for publication
vaccinated after their community leader is vaccinated
first and remains healthy afterward. This implies that Not applicable.
in addition to the individuals’ perceived risks of being Availability of data
infected with COVID-19 and their reported health status,
attitude of the community leaders also plays an important Data used in this work are available from the National
role in influencing the vaccine uptake; therefore, local Income Dynamics Study – Coronavirus Rapid Mobile
leaders should engage themselves in the scaling-up of Survey (NIDS-CRAM) 2021, Wave 5 [dataset]. Version 1.0.0.
vaccine acceptance across South Africa. Further, media Johannesburg and Cape Town: FEM Education Foundation
broadcasts showcasing the relatable personal experiences and Michael and Susan Dell Foundation [funding agencies].
of individuals and community leaders who got vaccinated Cape Town: Southern Africa Labour and Development
should be amplified to convince individuals who are Research Unit [implementer], 2021. Cape Town: DataFirst
unwilling to get vaccinated against COVID-19. [distributor], 2021. https://doi.org/10.25828/awhe-t852

Volume 10 Issue 1 (2024) 74 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.479