JORDANIANS’ ACCEPTANCE OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE AND THE REASONS FOR THEIR VACCINE HESITANCY

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine Jordanians’ acceptance of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, assess its determinants, and identify reasons for hesitancy.

An online-based, cross-sectional, anonymous study was conducted on Jordanian adults (n = 2,261; aged ≥20 years) in April 2021. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Reasons for hesitancy were also examined.

This study identified an acceptance of 58.2% among participants. It identified predictors and established a profile of the most hesitant toward COVID-19 vaccines: female, young, lower educational level, poor compliance with recommended vaccinations in the past, no history of chronic conditions, economically not affected by the pandemic, and other characteristics described in more detail in this article. Vaccine hesitancy was also associated with distrust in the safety of the vaccines and a lower perceived severity of COVID-19.

This low acceptance rate is alarming. Authorities’ strategies should be more specific, targeting these identified characteristics that are most hesitant towards the vaccine and adopting structured awareness campaigns that offer transparent information about the safety of the vaccines, the technology used in their production, and the seriousness of the disease.