Journal of Contemporary Medicine (Jan 2022)

VACCINE OPPOSAL IN PEOPLE OVER 60 YEARS OF AGE IN MARDIN/TURKEY – A TERRITORY WITH LOW RATE OF VACCINATION

  • Alev Başaran,
  • Barış Çil

DOI
https://doi.org/10.16899/jcm.1024259
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 81 – 85

Abstract

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Objective: One of the most important public health practices in the prevention of communicable diseases is vaccination. In this study, it was desired to evaluate the vaccination attitude of individuals over the age of 60 years in cities where the rate of vaccination against COVID-19 was low rate. Material and Methods: Our research was carried out by reaching 396 people over the age of 60 in MardinTurkey. A questionnaire including the positive and negative attitudes of the participants towards the vaccine was filled in by face to face interviews. Results: We found that 110 (45.8%) of the participants who have not been innoculated in the provinces where the study was conducted did not trust the vaccine. Again, it was seen that 128 (53.3%) of those who did not get inoculated were illiterate and 68 (28.3%) were primary school graduates. There were no university graduates in the group that did not receive the vaccine. When positive and negative attitudes were evaluated, it was seen that 64 (16.2%) people strongly disagree with the positive attitude, I would like to be vaccinated at the first opportunity, and 48 (12.1%) strongly disagree with the positive attitude, I think everyone should be vaccinated. When the positive attitude of I trust the studies about the vaccine was examined, it was seen that 108 (27.3%) people gave the answer of strongly disagree. Again, it was seen that 53.3% of the participants who did not get vaccinated were illiterate and 28.3% were primary school graduates. Conclusion: The high level of concern about vaccine safety needs to be addressed. Future introduction of the vaccine should address these concerns, and a properly and thoroughly tested vaccine will help win the public's trust. In addition, campaigns should be organized to target low-educational groups, and they should be informed, due to the increase in the fear of vaccination as the level of education decreases.

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