Factors contributing to healthcare workers’ hesitancy to receive the COVID-19 vaccines

Abstract

Background: Vaccinations play a significant role to reach heard immunity which is a key strategy to control COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, vaccine hesitancy remains a public health obstacle, which is still common among healthcare workers (HCWs). This review aims to look at the attitudes of healthcare workers and identify hesitancy factors toward the COVID-19 vaccines.

Methods: Three databases were searched systematically CINAHL, PubMed, and Medline to retrieve relevant studies on healthcare workers hesitancy factors toward COVID-19 vaccines. The systematic search resulted in retrieving 11 studies which were published between 2019-2021 and were critically analysed using Joanna Briggs Institute checklist.

Results: Five themes were identified from critical analysis of the literature. These themes are fear of the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, sociodemographic factors associated with the decision to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Provision of direct care to patients with COVID-19, Information and source of information about the COVID-19 vaccines and Influenza vaccination during 2019-2021 and its relation to COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

Conclusion: The issue of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers should be identified and addressed to increase vaccine uptake among them. Tailored and personalised communication strategies are needed to cover healthcare workers hesitancy. More importantly, providing trusted, updated, and reliable information on safety and 8 efficacy and other information related to COVID-19 vaccines should be provided with transparency.