Prevalence and Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance among Greek Health Care Workers and Administrative Officers of Primary Health Care Centers: A Nationwide Study Indicating Aspects for a Role Model
Ioanna Avakian,
Lemonia Anagnostopoulos,
George Rachiotis,
Konstantinos Fotiadis,
Anargyros Mariolis,
Michalis Koureas,
Katerina Dadouli,
Christos Papadopoulos,
Matthaios Speletas,
Maria Bakola,
Panagiota Vardaka,
Stamatia Zoubounelli,
Evangelos Tatsios,
Fevronia Niavi,
Apostolia Pouliou,
Christos Hadjichristodoulou,
Varvara A. Mouchtouri
Affiliations
Ioanna Avakian
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 22 Papakyriazi Street, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Lemonia Anagnostopoulos
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 22 Papakyriazi Street, 41222 Larissa, Greece
George Rachiotis
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 22 Papakyriazi Street, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Konstantinos Fotiadis
Hmathia General Hospital, Veria Hospital Unit, 59132 Veria, Greece
Anargyros Mariolis
Primary Care Health Center of Areopolis, Areopoli, 23062 Mani, Greece
Michalis Koureas
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 22 Papakyriazi Street, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Katerina Dadouli
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 22 Papakyriazi Street, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Christos Papadopoulos
Directorate of Public Health, Regional Unit of Kavala, 69132 Kavala, Greece
Matthaios Speletas
Department of Immunology and Histocompatibility, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41110 Larissa, Greece
Maria Bakola
Research Unit for General Medicine and Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Science, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
Panagiota Vardaka
Department of General Practice, University Hospital of Larissa, 41334 Larissa, Greece
Stamatia Zoubounelli
Department of General Practice, University Hospital of Larissa, 41334 Larissa, Greece
Evangelos Tatsios
Department of General Practice, University Hospital of Larissa, 41334 Larissa, Greece
Fevronia Niavi
Primary Health Care Center of Palama, 43200 Palamas, Greece
Apostolia Pouliou
Department of General Practice, University Hospital of Larissa, 41334 Larissa, Greece
Christos Hadjichristodoulou
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 22 Papakyriazi Street, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Varvara A. Mouchtouri
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 22 Papakyriazi Street, 41222 Larissa, Greece
Background: Τhe study aims to identify factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and to investigate knowledge and perceptions of Primary Health Care Centers (PHCC) personnel, who acted as pioneers in the national COVID-19 vaccination strategy. Methods and Materials: A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted by distributing an online anonymous questionnaire comprising 25 questions during the first semester of 2021. Results: Approximately 85.3% of the 1136 respondents (response rate 28.4%) were vaccinated or intended to be. The acceptance of seasonal flu vaccine (aOR: 3.29, 95%CI: 2.08–5.20), correct COVID-19 vaccine knowledge (aOR: 8.37, 95%CI: 4.81–14.59) and lack of concern regarding vaccine novelty (aOR: 6.18, 95%CI: 3.91–9.77) were positively correlated with vaccine acceptance. Vaccinated respondents were more likely to be physicians (aOR: 2.29, 95%CI: 1.03–5.09) or administrative staff (aOR: 2.65, 95%CI: 1.18–5.97) compared to nursing stuff. Reasons for vaccine hesitancy included inadequate information (37.8%) and vaccine safety (31.9%). Vaccine acceptance was strongly correlated (Spearman’s correlation coefficient r = 0.991, p < 0.001) between PHCC personnel and the general population of each health district. Conclusions: COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among PHCC personnel in Greece was comparably high, but specific groups (nurses) were hesitant. As the survey’s target population could serve as a role model for the community, efforts should be made to improve COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.
