Volume 26, Issue 121, March 2022

Healthcare workers awareness and perception to COVID-19 measures and their attitude toward the vaccine rollout: A Saudi Arabian experience

Raouf M Afifi^1♦, Majed Kh Al Harthi², Bader Alharthi³, Ashraf E Saad⁴, Sameer Othman Alabdali⁵, Meshref Al Shehri⁶, Faris S Almalki⁷

¹Health Research Institute, SA Consultancy and Training, Tampa FL, USA
²Hospital Assistant Director for Medical Affairs, King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia
³Pulmonary Department, King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia
⁴Preventive Medicine Department, Armed Forced Hospital, Wadi Al Dawasir, Saudi Arabia
⁵Hospital Management, King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia
⁶Cardiology Center, King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia
⁷Internal Medicine Department, King Faisal Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia

^♦Corresponding author
Raouf Afifi, MD, PhD, Health Research Institute, SA Consultancy & Training, 2114 W Henry Ave, Tampa, FL 33603 USA

ABSTRACT

Background: COVID-19 still poses a threat to healthcare workers (HCW). Aim: Study knowledge and attitude of the HCWs of King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital (KASH), Taif, Saudi Arabia, about COVID-19 and the vaccine rollout. Methods: A questionnaire was self-administered to achieve study aim. Results: The participants aged 39.3±3.9; 41.5% were physicians, 58.5% non-physicians. A questionnaire’s mean overall score [93.5 (62.3%)] cutoff [105 (70.0%); p<0.001] was recorded; “physician” was predictor for score variability (p<0.001). A mean “COVID-19 epidemiological/clinical knowledge” score [22.2/32 (69.4%)] comparable to the cutoff [22.4/32 (70%), p=0.64]; and that [21.7/38 (57.1%)] for “COVID-19 infection prevention/ control (IPC) guidelines” cutoff [26.6/38 (70%), p<0.001] were recorded. Perception [21.3/28 (76.0%)] of the latter exceeded the cutoff [19.5/28 (70%), p<0.001]. Despite a modest vaccine response, 86.5% HCWs were vaccinated candidates. Being a physician, male, had COVID-19 infection were vaccination predictors. Conclusion: A satisfactory COVID-19 knowledge and a favorable IPC attitude; with a modest vaccine response yet a notable vaccination acceptance were reported. Supplementing our HCWs’ adequate COVID-19 control practice, e.g., through holistic COVID-19 training until enough evidence for vaccine safety has been established is warranted.

Keywords: Healthcare workers, COVID-19, vaccine, perception, Saudi Arabia

Medical Science, 2022, 26, ms81e2017

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v26i121/ms81e2017

Published: 26 February 2022