Pharmacy Practice (Mar 2021)

Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in a high infection-rate country: a cross-sectional study in Russia

  • Van D. Tran ,
  • Tatiana V. Pak ,
  • Elena I. Gribkova ,
  • Galina A. Galkina ,
  • Ekaterina E. Loskutova ,
  • Valeria V. Dorofeeva ,
  • Rebecca S. Dewey ,
  • Kien T. Nguyen ,
  • Duy T. Pham

DOI
https://doi.org/10.18549/PharmPract.2021.1.2276
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19, no. 1
p. 2276

Abstract

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Background: COVID-19 vaccine development is proceeding at an unprecedented pace. Once COVID-19 vaccines become widely available, it will be necessary to maximize public vaccine acceptance and coverage. Objective: This research aimed to analyze the predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Russia. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among Russian adults from September 26th to November 9th, 2020. Predictors of the intent to take up COVID-19 vaccination were explored using logistic regression. Results: Out of 876 participants, 365 (41.7%) would be willing to receive the vaccine if it became available. Acceptance increased for a vaccine with verified safety and effectiveness (63.2%). Intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was relatively higher among males (aOR=2.37, 95% CI 1.41-4.00), people with lower monthly income (aOR=2.94, 95%CI 1.32-6.57), and with positive trust in the healthcare system (aOR=2.73, 95% CI 1.76-4.24). The Russian people were more likely to accept the COVID-19 vaccine if they believed that the vaccine reduces the risk of virus infection (aOR=8.80, 95%CI 5.21-14.87) or relieves the complications of the disease (aOR=10.46, 95%CI 6.09-17.96). Other barriers such as being unconcerned about side-effects (aOR=1.65, 95%CI 1.03-2.65) and the effectiveness and safety of the vaccination (aOR=2.55, 95%CI 1.60-4.08), also affected acceptance. Conclusions: The study showed the usefulness of the health belief model constructs in understanding the COVID-19 vaccination acceptance rate in the Russian population. This rate was influenced by sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, and health beliefs. These findings might help guide future efforts for policymakers and stakeholders to improve vaccination rates by enhancing trust in the healthcare system.

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