Risk Management and Healthcare Policy (Jul 2022)
Prevalence and Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among the Ethiopian Population: A Systematic Review
Abstract
Delelegn Emwodew Yehualashet,1 Binyam Tariku Seboka,1 Getanew Aschalew Tesfa,1 Tizalegn Tesfaye Mamo,1 Mulugeta Namaro Yawo,1 Samuel Hailegebreal2 1School of Public Health, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia; 2School of Public Health, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Delelegn Emwodew Yehualashet, School of Public Health, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia, Tel +251 976061907, Email [email protected]: Although vaccination is the most effective way to end the COVID-19 pandemic, there are growing concerns that vaccine hesitancy may undermine its effectiveness. In Ethiopia, vaccine hesitancy forms a major challenge to the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. This systematic review examined the prevalence and determinants of the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the Ethiopian population.Methods: A systematic search of articles was conducted in PubMed, EBSCO, Google Scholar, and Semantic Scholar. Studies that evaluated the prevalence and determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Ethiopia were included. The identified determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy were analyzed based on the frequency of occurrence in the included studies.Results: The overall COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy level in the Ethiopian population ranged from 14.1% to 68.7%. The high COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy rate observed in this study was due to contextual factors, individual factors, and vaccine-specific factors. Young age, female sex, living in rural areas, lack of adequate information, and lower education are the most common contextual determinants of the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Lack of awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine, low risk of COVID-19, poor adherence to COVID-19 prevention strategies, and negative attitude towards the COVID-19 vaccine are the most frequently reported personal factors. Common vaccine-specific determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitation are the side effects of the vaccine and doubts about its effectiveness of the vaccine.Conclusion: Our review showed that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy remains highly prevalent and varied across regions of Ethiopia, with a wide variety of factors associated with it. Potential interventions on the benefits of vaccination and the adverse effects of vaccine rejection are crucial to enhance COVID-19 vaccine uptake among the Ethiopian population.Keywords: COVID-19, vaccine, hesitancy, acceptance, systematic review, Ethiopia
