TY - JOUR
T1 - Uptake of public health measures and vaccine acceptance during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural Zambia
AU - Sutcliffe, Catherine G.
AU - Sinywimaanzi, Pamela
AU - Morales, Juliet
AU - Sianyanda, Morris
AU - Muleka, Mathias
AU - Fenstermacher, Katherine Z.J.
AU - Monze, Mwaka
AU - Rothman, Richard E.
AU - Pekosz, Andrew
AU - Thuma, Philip E
AU - Simulundu, Edgar
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (contract HHSN272201400007C) awarded to the Johns Hopkins Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (JHCEIRS). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not represent the policy or position of NIAID or NIH. The funding agency had no role in the analysis of the data, writing of the manuscript, or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. Support was also provided by the Richard Eliasberg Family Foundation. We thank the study team and participants for their contributions to the study. We also thank the staff at Macha Hospital for their support and assistance in conducting the study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Vaccines are effective tools to prevent COVID-19-related morbidity. However, coverage is low throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Uptake of public health measures, perceptions of COVID-19 illness and vaccines, and intention to vaccinate were evaluated in 2021–2022 in rural Zambia. Adherence to public health measures, perceptions of COVID-19 risk and severity, and vaccine acceptance increased significantly over time, particularly in December 2021, coinciding with the fourth pandemic wave and relaunch of the national vaccine campaign. Vaccine acceptance was associated with perceptions of vaccine safety and effectiveness, but not disease severity. These findings highlight the importance of strong pandemic response and public communication for increased uptake of mitigatory measures, including vaccine acceptance.
AB - Vaccines are effective tools to prevent COVID-19-related morbidity. However, coverage is low throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Uptake of public health measures, perceptions of COVID-19 illness and vaccines, and intention to vaccinate were evaluated in 2021–2022 in rural Zambia. Adherence to public health measures, perceptions of COVID-19 risk and severity, and vaccine acceptance increased significantly over time, particularly in December 2021, coinciding with the fourth pandemic wave and relaunch of the national vaccine campaign. Vaccine acceptance was associated with perceptions of vaccine safety and effectiveness, but not disease severity. These findings highlight the importance of strong pandemic response and public communication for increased uptake of mitigatory measures, including vaccine acceptance.
KW - COVID-19
KW - perceptions
KW - public health measures
KW - sub-Saharan Africa
KW - vaccines
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U2 - 10.1080/21645515.2022.2153538
DO - 10.1080/21645515.2022.2153538
M3 - Article
C2 - 36482701
AN - SCOPUS:85144093852
SN - 2164-5515
VL - 18
JO - Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics
JF - Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics
IS - 7
M1 - 2153538
ER -