Vaccine Hesitancy and Acceptability of COVID-19 Vaccines among Students in Medical Specialties. The University of Aden, Yemen

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) considered the COVID-19 vaccine as a new critical tool against SARS-CoV-2 which has successfully reduced the global burden of illness and death. This study aims to assess the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine among students in Medical Specialties at the University of Aden, Yemen, and the factors affecting their intention to accept the vaccine.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used to target medically related students in the University of Aden with a proportional sample stratified by specialty and educational level during the first semester of 2021-2022. A self-reported questionnaire consisted of five primary sections: sociodemographic characteristics, information on beliefs and attitudes about COVID-19, the attitudes and beliefs about a COVID-19 vaccination, level of willingness and support for COVID-19 vaccine, and finally about the sources of knowledge about the COVID-19 vaccine was used.

Results: The total number of students enrolled in this study was 422 from the different medical specialties at the University of Aden. The knowledge level was low among the participants (55.2%). However, the rest of the findings related to other domains were found to be poor and showed higher barriers to reduce the level of infection (70.9%), acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine (47.4%), low level of attitude toward the COVID-19 vaccine (48.3%), and high negative perception on the vaccine (67.8%), respectively. Findings showed a significant statistical difference in gender between males and females (p=0.003), age group as younger compared to older age (p=0.048), and the area of residency by governorates (p=0.044).

Conclusion: Overall, medical students in the University of Aden demonstrated low knowledge, high false perceptions, and barriers to the COVID-19 vaccine. Male students showed a likely higher level of vaccine uptake willingness and demonstrated a more positive attitude to accept the vaccine than females. This strengthens the need to take measures and address the rumors and conspiracy theories to avoid distrust in the efficacy and safety of the vaccine.