Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected all aspects of life globally and becomes a major threat to public health around the world. One of the most important actions that need to be taken to stop the pandemic is vaccinations. Managing the COVID-19 pandemic in the long-term, vaccine hesitancy and negative attitudes toward vaccines are major barriers.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate undergraduate students knowledge, risk perceptions, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccinations among undergraduate students in Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using a questionnaire. A total of 280 students participated. COVID-19 related knowledge, risk perception, and attitude toward COVID-19 vaccines were assessed. Statistical test using SPSS statistics to analyze differences between intention to be vaccinated and socio-demographic was done using exact P-value, Pearsons Chi-square test, and Binary Logistic Regression.
Results: Students revealed a moderate level of COVID-19 related knowledge. A moderate level of risk perception of getting COVID-19 has the highest number of students who want to get vaccinated (n = 76, 51.0%). Intention to get vaccinated was 53% (n = 148). The analysis of a binary logistic regression indicated that the monthly household income of students had a statistically significant effect on the intention to get vaccinated. Level of monthly household income predicted the deposition of intention to get vaccinated of students (Exp [B] = 0.773, P < 0.001). Most students had no intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 due to concerns on side effects and efficacy of the current availability of COVID-19 vaccine in Thailand. Therefore, to increase more acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among students, more choices of COVID-19 vaccine with high efficacy should be provided.
Conclusion: Government should take firm and faster action for the unavailability of vaccines in Thailand to decrease vaccine hesitancy rate and give Thai citizens more choices of vaccine brands with higher levels of vaccine efficacy. Side effects from vaccines are one of the reasons for increase in vaccine hesitancy. Therefore, if Thai people can choose a higher efficacy vaccine, the news about vaccine side effects will be lower. Government should start educating and letting people know about side effects and whether the side effects are life threatening or not.
Key words: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2; Coronavirus Disease 2019; Vaccine; Intention to Vaccinate
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