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International Journal of
Population Studies Attitudes of older adults toward COVID-19 vaccine

gap in the literature concerning the attitudes of Nigerian Graeber et al., 2021). Moreover, research indicates that a
older adults toward the intake of COVID-19 vaccines. The significant proportion of populations in China, Canada,
emergence of COVID-19 has had profound implications Spain, and other countries has already received a full dose
for the well-being, quality of life, and various aspects of of the COVID-19 vaccine (Iguacel et al., 2021; Mohamadi
individuals’ lives across the globe. Vulnerable populations, et al., 2021; Ontario Agency for Health Protection and
such as older adults, have been disproportionately Promotion, 2021; Zheng et al., 2021). Gender, education
affected by the pandemic (Amadasun, 2021; Amadasun level, age, employment status, residence, knowledge about
& Omorogiuwa, 2020). As of June 17, 2022, the World the vaccine, course of study, influence of significant others,
Health Organization (WHO) reported over 6 million and concerns about vaccine safety all emerge as significant
deaths attributed to COVID-19 (WHO, 2022), with more variables influencing attitudes toward the COVID-19
than 95% of these fatalities occurring among older adults vaccine (Bai et al., 2021; Cordina et al., 2021; El-Elimat
(WHO, 2020a). The pandemic has occasioned poor health et al., 2021; Rzymski et al., 2021).
conditions among older individuals and has contributed to Nigeria received approximately 4 million doses of the
a range of mental health problems (Mukhtar, 2020). These COVID-19 vaccine through the COVAX Facility on March
mental health problems include depression and cognitive 2, 2021. Despite the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine,
dysfunction (Flett & Heisel, 2020); anxiety, anger, stress, there is considerable hesitancy among the population
agitation, and withdrawal (Armitage & Nellums, 2020; to embrace it. Anorue et al. (2021) have revealed
WHO, 2020b); insomnia (Liu et al., 2020); and suicidal apprehensions among southeasterners regarding the
ideations (Wand et al., 2020). The emotional distress COVID-19 vaccine. In Delta State, approximately 48.6%
and mental health problems experienced by older adults of the population expressed unwillingness to accept the
can be linked to measures such as social and physical vaccine (Josiah & Kantaris, 2021). Uzochukwu et al. (2021)
distancing, self-isolation, and quarantine implemented by discovered that over 65% of staff and students in Nigerian
governments to curtail the spread of COVID-19 (Flett & tertiary institutions demonstrated negative attitudes toward
Heisel, 2020). the COVID-19 vaccine. Within Enugu State, Southeast

Amidst all these measures implemented to curtail the Nigeria, Onalu et al. (2022) observed that the majority of
spread of COVID-19, the development and utilization of the populace has not embraced the COVID-19 vaccine;
vaccines have proven to be particularly effective (Yamey Ezema et al. (2023), in a study of the perceptions of lecturers
et al., 2020). Vaccination plays a crucial role in enhancing and students in a tertiary institution, also found that many
individuals’ immune systems and fostering the production people exhibit COVID-19 vaccine apathy. Furthermore,
of robust antibodies to combat various diseases (Centers a similar study by Nwangwu et al. (2021) revealed
for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). Consequent to that students of Enugu State University demonstrated
the comprehensive understanding of the genome sequence unwillingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccination. In the
of SARS-CoV-2 in the first quarter of 2020 (Wu et al., 2020) same vein, Enitan et al. (2020) found that approximately
and the WHO’s declaration of the pandemic in March 2020 80% of Nigerians were unwilling to partake in the COVID-
(Cucinotta & Vanelli, 2020), scientists and pharmaceutical 19 vaccine trial. The qualitative study by Ogueji & Okoloba
organizations worldwide mobilized efforts to invent the (2022) revealed that only a small number of participants
COVID-19 vaccine, aiming to alleviate the substantial had received the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, Adigwe
burden imposed by the disease (Coustasse et al., 2021; (2021) found that a significant number of Abuja residents
Zimmer et al., 2020). were not willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine. However,
Following the invention of COVID-19 vaccines, a among them, particularly older adults, especially those
major threat to their rollout and the complete mitigation of who were previously infected with COVID-19, indicated
the pandemic is vaccine hesitancy (Coustasse et al., 2021). their interest in paying for the COVID-19 vaccination.
Despite instances of hesitancy documented in countries Several reasons for negative attitudes toward vaccine
such as Jordan, Russia, France, Hungary, and Portugal uptake among Nigerians have been documented in the
(El-Elimat et al., 2021; Lindholt et al., 2021; Soares et al., literature. Adigwe (2021) reported that the Nigerians’
2021), other countries, including the United States (US), concerns about the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines
China, Saudi Arabia, Malta, Mozambique, Malaysia, contribute to the hesitancy in the COVID-19 vaccine
Denmark, and Germany, among others, have displayed uptake. In rural areas of Nigeria, Abubakar et al. (2022)
positive attitudes toward the vaccine (Al-Mohaithef & have identified factors such as a lack of interest in the
Padhi, 2020; Dula et al., 2021; Lazarus et al., 2020; Lindholt vaccine, distrust in the government, misconceptions about
et al., 2021; Mohamed et al., 2021; Reiter et al., 2020; the use of the vaccine against the population, denial of the

Volume 10 Issue 1 (2024) 87 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.359