Patient Preference and Adherence (Jun 2022)
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Adult Iraqi Population Towards COVID-19 Booster Dose: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
Walid Al-Qerem,1 Anan Jarab,2 Alaa Hammad,1 Alaa Hussein Alsajri,3,4 Shadan Waleed Al-Hishma,3 Jonathan Ling,5 Asal Saad Alabdullah,6 Ali Salama,7 Rami Mosleh8 1Department of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; 2Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 3Specialized Bone Marrow Transplant Center, Baghdad, Iraq; 4University of Sains Malaysia, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Penang, Malaysia; 5Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science and Wellbeing University of Sunderland, Sunderland, UK; 6Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan; 7Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Middle East University, Amman, Jordan; 8Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, PalestineCorrespondence: Rami Mosleh, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, PO Box 7, Nablus, Palestine, Tel +970 592859300, Email [email protected]: COVID-19 vaccines are critical for containing the pandemic and preventing serious SARS-CoV-2 infections. In addition to the two main doses, a booster dose has been utilized to improve immunity. The aim of current study is to evaluate Iraqi adult population knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards COVID-19 booster dose.Subjects and Methods: This online cross-sectional survey of adult Iraqis (n = 754) assessed the attitudes of people who have had both immunizations regarding a potential COVID-19 vaccine booster dosage and to identify potential factors that might impact these attitudes. Factors evaluated in the current study included previously received vaccine type in the first two doses, socioeconomic characteristics, health status, knowledge about COVID-19 and its vaccines and adherence to protective practices.Results: Overall, 61.1% of participants expressed willingness to receive a COVID-19 booster dose, with a high median score of knowledge and practice toward COVID-19. Participants who did not perceive COVID-19 to be serious, p-value < 0.001), participants who believed they would not be infected with COVID-19 in the next 6 months (p-value < 0.001), low knowledge score group (p-value < 0.001), lower education (p-value < 0.001), participants who received the COVID-19 vaccine because of imposed laws (p-value < 0.001), participants who received AstraZeneca vaccine (p-value < 0.001), younger participants (p-value=0.003), low level of practice (p-value < 0.001), participants who did not know someone who had died due to COVID-19 (p-value=0.01), low risk of developing serious side effects if infected with COVID-19 and participants in the low side effects score were significantly less frequently willing to receive a booster COVID-19 dose (p-value < 0.001). The main reasons for booster dose hesitancy/refusal were the perceived lack of need for a booster shot, the uselessness of a booster shot and the conspiracy theory of boosting corporate profits through booster shots.Conclusion: There is high hesitancy towards COVID-19 booster dose acceptance among the Iraqi population. The study identified several factors associated with vaccine hesitancy including low socioeconomic status and low knowledge about COVID-19 and its vaccines.Keywords: COVID-19 vaccine, booster dose, vaccine hesitancy, SARS-CoV-2, Iraq
