| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2022 | Volume
: 3
| Issue : 3 | Page : 63-67 |
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Vaccine hesitancy and risk perception among health-care workers in a tertiary hospital in North-East India
Bishwalata Rajkumari, Avinash Keisam, Ningthoukhongjam Shugeta Devi, Samurailatpam Priyanka Devi, Regina Wahengbam, Mangvung Mangboi Haokip
Department of Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur, India
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Avinash Keisam
Department of Community Medicine, JNIMS, Porompat, Imphal East-795005, Manipur
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/jphpc.jphpc_28_21
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Context: Vaccine hesitancy is an important threat to public health and a major setback for achieving herd immunity especially during the COVID 19 pandemic. Health-care workers are a major reckoning force in making the vaccines acceptable to the general population and the question is why there is vaccine hesitancy among them. Aims: The study plans to determine the reasons of vaccine hesitancy among health-care workers and to assess the association between their risk perception and variables of interest. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted among doctors, nurses and other support staff in a tertiary hospital in North-East India, who were hesitant to take the vaccine when it was their turn. Methods and Material: Using convenience sampling method, data collection was done using a pre-tested interview schedule after obtaining informed verbal consent. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional ethics committee. Statistical analysis used: Descriptive statistics like Mean, SD and percentages were used. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used for association. Results: There were 160 participants out of which 30 (18.8%) had low risk perception of COVID-19 infection. Three (1.87 %) of the respondents said they were never going to be vaccinated against the disease and 59 (36.87%) said they may get the vaccine maybe at a later date. While 56 (35%) of the individuals were scared of common AEFI's like fever, chills and rigor; 21 (13.12%) were scared of unknown side effects. Fifteen percent of the respondents had trust issues with the vaccines. Conclusions: Though majority of the respondents had high-risk perception of COVID-19 infection, but almost one-sixth had trust issues with the vaccine. Trust building for the vaccine and information, education, and communication must be in the forefront for making the vaccination drive a success.
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