A SURVEY ABOUT THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS COVID-19 VACCINATION AMONG THE STUDENTS AT THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE – SKOPJE, REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

  • Jasna Bogdanska Department of Biochemistry, Facultyl of Medicine Skopje, University St. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, R.of North Macedonia
  • Sonja Topuzovska Department of Biochemistry, Facultyl of Medicine Skopje, University St. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, R.of North Macedonia
  • Katerina Tosheska Trajkovska Department of Biochemistry, Facultyl of Medicine Skopje, University St. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, R.of North Macedonia
  • Svetlana Cekovska Department of Biochemistry, Facultyl of Medicine Skopje, University St. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, R.of North Macedonia
  • Hristina Ampova Department of Biochemistry, Facultyl of Medicine Skopje, University St. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, R.of North Macedonia
  • Melda Emin Department of Biochemistry, Facultyl of Medicine Skopje, University St. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, R.of North Macedonia
  • Elena Stanojevska Petrushevska Department of Biochemistry, Facultyl of Medicine Skopje, University St. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, R.of North Macedonia
  • Irma Duma Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”– in Skopje, R.of North Macedonia
  • Dushanka Grujoska-Veta University Clinic for Traumatology, Orthopedic Diseases, Anesthesiology, Reanimation and Intensive Care, Medical Faculty, University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje, R.of North Macedonia

Abstract

The SARS-Cov-2 virus represents the most important challenge for public health worldwide. In order to prevent the spread of the virus, vaccines from different suppliers were introduced in the Republic of North Macedonia. Bearing in mind that vaccination against COVID-19 is not obligatory, the present survey was designed in order to evaluate the personal attitude towards vaccination among the first and second year students at the Medical Faculty in Skopje. In total, 427 students consented for participation in the survey. Overall, 46% out of all participants considered that vaccination should be mandatory among the healthcare workers and medical students. Most of the participants, overall 75% of total, expressed the willingness to receive the vaccine for the sake of public health and for their own families. Fifty-three percent of the students were willing to receive the vaccine from any manufacturer in order to contribute to the public health, but most of them have expressed their willingness to live with the restrictive measures for an unlimited time. The overall attitude towards general vaccination was highly positive (84% of all participants). We can conclude that, most of the first and second year students at the Medical Faculty, have expressed their willingness to receive the vaccine against Covid-19.


Key words: attitude towards Covid-19 vaccine, attitude towards vaccination.


https://doi.org/10.55302/JMS2143114b

References

1. Singhal T. A review of Coronavirus disease -2019 (COVID-19). Indian Journal of Pediatr. 2020; 87:281-286.
2. Worldmeters info: available from: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/?utm_campaign=homeAdvegas1? Accessed November 11th.2021.
3. Catching A, Capponi S, Yeh MT, Bianco S, Andino R. Examing face mask usage as an effective strategy to control COVID-19 spread. Epidemiology. 2020; 1-11.
4. Valllieres F, Bentall RP, Shevlin M et al. Physiological characteristics associated with covid-19 vaccine hesitancy and resistance in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Nat Commun.2021; 12, 29.
5. Lazarus JV, Ratzan SC, Palayew A, et al. A global survey of potential acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccine. Nat Med. 2020; 27: 1-4.
6. WHO: Vaccines and immunization. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/vaccines-and-immunization#tab=tab_1. Accessed November 25th 2021.
7. Harrison EA, Wu JW. Vaccine confidence in the time of COVID-19. Eur. J. Epidemiol. 2020; 35: 325-330.
8. Nussbaumer-Streit B, Mayer V, Doberscu AI, Chapman A. et al. Quarantine alone or in combination with other public health measures to control COVID-19: A rapid review. Cochrane database Syst. Rev. 2020; 4: CD013574.
9. deFigueiredo A, Simas C, Karafillakis E, Peterson P, Larson HJ. Mapping global trends in vaccine confidence and investigating barriers to vaccine uptake. A large scale retrospective temporal modeling Study. Lancet. 2020; 396: 898-908.
10. MacDonald NE. Vaccine Hesitancy: Definition, scope and determinants. Vaccine. 2015; 33: 4161-4164.
11. Dube E, Gagnon D, Nickels E, Jeram S, Shuster M. Mapping vaccine hesitancy-country specific characteristics of a global phenomenon. Vaccine. 2014; 32: 6649-6654.
12. World Health Organization. Ten treats to global health in 2019. Available online https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/ten-threats-to-global-health-in-2019.https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/ten-threats-to-global-health-in-2019. Accessed December 7th 2021.
13. Wang J, Jing R, Lai X, et al. Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Vaccines. 2020; 8:482.
14. Reuben R, Danladi MMA, Saleh DA, Ejembi PE. Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19: An epidemiological survey in north-central Nigeria. J. Community Health. 2021; 46: 457-470.
15. Sallam M. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy worldwide: A concise systematic review of vaccine acceptance rates. Vaccines. 2021; 9:160.
16. Corona-virus (COVID-19) vaccinations. Available online from: https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations. Accessed December 7th 2021.
17. Ministry of health of the Republic of North Macedonia. Available from:http://zdravstvo.gov.mk/revakcinirani-43-5-od-polnoletnite-gragjani-vo-drzhavata/. Accessed December 7th 2021.
18. Kwok KO, Lai F, Lei Wi Wong SYS, Tang JWT. Herd immunity-Estimating the level required to halt the COVID-19nepidemics in affected countries. J Infect.2020; 80:e32-e33.
19. Randolph HE, Barreiro LB. Herd immunity: Understanding COVID-19. Immunity. 2020.; 52:737-741.
20. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Overview of COVID-19 Vaccination strategies and vaccine development plans in the EU/EEA and the UK. Available online: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/Overview -of EU_EEA-UK-vaccination-deployment-plans.pdf. Accessed December 7th 2021.
21. Neuman Bohme S, Vaghese NE, Sabat I et all. Once we have it? A European survey on willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In. Springer. 2020; 35(8): 1-4.
22. Ulah I, Khan KS, Tahir MJ, Ahmed A, Harapan H. Myths and conspiracy theories on vaccines and COVID-19: potential effect on global vaccine refusals. Vacunas. 2021; 22(9): 93-7.
23. Khan Yk, Mallhi TH, Alotaibi NH et al. Threat of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Pakistan; the need for measures to neutralize misleading narratives. Am J Trop Med Hygiene. 2020; 103(2): 603-4.
24. Ovenseri-Ogbomo GO, Ishaya T, Osugwu UL et al. Factors associated with the myth about 5G network during COVID-19 pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa. J Glob Health Rep. 2020; https://doi.org/10.29392/001c.17606).
25. Shekhar R, Sheikh AB, Upadhyay S et al. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among health care workers in the Unated States. Vaccines. 2021; 9(2):1-18.
26. Shacham M, Greenblatt-Kimron L, Hamama-Raz Y et al. Increased CODID-19 vaccination hesitancy and health awareness amid COVID-19 vaccination programs in Israel. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021; 18(7): 3804.
27. Agyekum MWAfrifa-Anane GF, Kyei-Arthur F, Addo B. Accetability of COVID-19 vaccination among health care workers in Ghana. Adv Public Health 202. 2021; doi: 10.1101/2021.03.11.21253374.
28. Spinewine A, Pettein C, Evrad P et al. Attitudes towards covid-19 vaccination among hospital staff-understanding what matters to hesitant people. Vaccines. 2021; 9(5): 1-3.
29. Dzieciolowska S, Hamel G, Gadio S et al. Covid-19 vaccine acceptance, hesitancy, and refusal among Canadian health care workers: a multicenter survey. Am J Infect Control. 2021; 000:1-6.
30. Salazar M, Barochiner J. Intention to get vaccines against COVID-19 in French health care workers during the first pandemic wave: a cross sectional survey. Ann Oncol. 2020; 108(1): 168-173.
31. Papagiannis D, Rachiotis G, Malli F et al. Acceptability of Covid-19 vaccination among Greek health professionals. Vaccines. 2021; 9(3): 1-7.
32. Petrovic L, Arh R, Gabrovec T et al. Factors affecting attitudes towards civid-19 vaccination: an online survey in Slovenia. Vaccines. 2021; 9(3): 1-15.
33. Szmyd B, Karuga FF, Bartoszek A et a. Attitude and behaviors towards sars cov-2 vaccination among healthcare workers: a cross sectional study from Poland. Vaccines. 2021; 9(3): 1-14.
34. Fares S. Elmnyer MM, Mohamed SS, Elsayed R. COVID-19 vaccination perception and attitude among healthcare workers in Egypt. J Prim Care Community Health. 2021; 12:21501327211013303.
35. Shekhar R, Sheikh AB, Upadhyyay S et al. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among health care workers in the United States. Vaccines. 2021; 9(2): 1-18.
36. Rapisarda V, Vella F, Ledda C, Barattucci M, Ramamci T. What prompts doctors to recommend Covid-19 vaccines: is it a question of positive emotion? Vaccines. 2021; 9(6): 578.
37. Rhodes A, Hoq M, Measey MA. Intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 in Australia. Lancet 2020; 21(5): 2020-2021.
Published
2021-12-28
How to Cite
BOGDANSKA, Jasna et al. A SURVEY ABOUT THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS COVID-19 VACCINATION AMONG THE STUDENTS AT THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE – SKOPJE, REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA. Journal of Morphological Sciences, [S.l.], v. 4, n. 3, p. 114-125, dec. 2021. ISSN 2545-4706. Available at: <http://jms.mk/jms/article/view/vol4no3-15>. Date accessed: 29 mar. 2024.
Section
Articles