COVID-19 vaccination readiness among Russian-speaking residents in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in 2020–2022: a scoping review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the mental health and overall well-being of people worldwide. Vaccination is a crucial component in preventing the spread of COVID-19. However, despite the high risks associated with COVID-19, there is widespread disapproval and hostility towards vaccination and restrictive measures aimed at stopping the infection process. The spread of misinformation about vaccines, which has a long history as far back as the 18th and 19th centuries, increases distrust of immunization. This distrust is based on different beliefs about the origins of health and disease accepted in society. Vaccine skepticism is considered a global threat to public health and the achievement of population immunity against infections. Therefore, collection of data on attitudes towards vaccination within the largest possible number of social subgroups is warranted. AIM: To perform a systematic search and qualitative synthesis of scientific information on COVID-19 vaccination readiness among Russian-speaking residents in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan as well as associated factors. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted to examine scientific articles published in Russian from January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2022, that reported on the attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination among Russian-speaking residents of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. In total, there were more than 12,000 respondents in the selected papers that described the factors influencing the preparedness for COVID-19 immunization. The proportions of respondents who agreed, disagreed, and doubted the implementation of vaccination were recorded and used to calculate median values without taking into account the weights of each individual study. RESULTS: Compared to many other countries, the Russian-speaking residents in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan has demonstrated a reluctance to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, with 30% expressing unwillingness and only 47% indicating readiness for vaccination. CONCLUSION: The use of theoretical models for describing health-related behavior is warranted to improve the quality and information content of Russian biomedical and socio-psychological research. This approach can aid in the development of effective interventions and preventive strategies for vaccine-preventable diseases.