COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy among Nurses in Thailand: Implications, Challenges, and Future Prospects for Attitudes and Vaccine Literacy

Abstract

Nurses are healthcare workers at high risk of contracting COVID-19 and are prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination. This study aimed to explore COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, vaccine literacy, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines, and determine factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among nurses in Thailand. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using online questionnaires between May and June 2021. A total of 510 nurses were recruited during the pandemic’s third wave in Thailand. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Ten percent (n = 51) of the participants were men, all of whom showed COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Of the 459 female nurses, 94.8% (n = 435) accepted COVID-19 vaccination and 91.3% (n = 419) reported previous influenza vaccination. In multiple logistic regression models, previous influenza vaccination, interactive–critical vaccine literacy, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines were significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among female nurses in Thailand. Those who had previously received influenza vaccination were more likely to accept COVID-19 vaccination. Higher scores for interactive–critical vaccine literacy and positive attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine increased the odds of accepting vaccination, while negative attitudes were associated with decreased vaccine acceptance. Vaccine literacy, together with attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccine, had a strong positive effect on increasing vaccination acceptance and reducing vaccine hesitancy. The results suggest that policymakers should consider both attitudes and vaccine literacy when establishing prospective strategies for promoting vaccine acceptance among nurses beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.