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COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Medical Students: The Next COVID-19 Challenge in Wuhan, China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2021

Xudong Gao Open the ORCID record for Xudong Gao [Opens in a new window] ,
Haiyan Li ,
Wenjie He  and
Wen Zeng
Xudong Gao
Affiliation:
College of Medicine and Health Science, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, China
Haiyan Li
Affiliation:
Emergency Room, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Wenjie He
Affiliation:
Gastrointestinal Department, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Wen Zeng*
Affiliation:
Department of Scientific research and Teaching, The Central Hospital of Shaoyang, Shaoyang, China
*
Corresponding author: Wen Zeng, Email: zengwen2030@163.com.
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Abstract

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to explore the level of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy among medical students in Wuhan, China, and to identify the factors and barriers associated with their vaccination decision.

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was launched with 612 medical students recruited by convenience sampling from 6 universities. Data collection measures mainly included a demographic questionnaire, COVID-19 vaccine knowledge questionnaire, and the vaccine hesitancy scale.

Results:

A total of 58.2% of medical students reported vaccine hesitancy. The most common reasons for this were worrying about the side effects of vaccines (44.4%), uncertainty about vaccine safety (40.4%), and underestimating the risk of exposure to COVID-19 (27.9%). The main factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among participants were their knowledge about COVID-19 vaccine, training related to COVID-19 vaccines, family address, and education level (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

The government, health department and universities in China need to work together and actively communicate with vaccine-hesitant students, establish a standardized COVID-19 vaccine course, and provide on-campus vaccination services.

Keywords

COVID-19medical studentsvaccine hesitancy
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 17 , 2023 , e46
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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