Willingness of Middle Eastern public to receive COVID-19 vaccines

Rana Abu-Farha; Tareq Mukattash; Rania Itani; Samar Karout; Hani M J Khojah; Asia Abed Al-Mahmood; Karem H Alzoubi

doi:10.1016/j.jsps.2021.05.005

Willingness of Middle Eastern public to receive COVID-19 vaccines

Saudi Pharm J. 2021 Jul;29(7):734-739. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2021.05.005. Epub 2021 May 31.

Authors

Rana Abu-Farha¹, Tareq Mukattash², Rania Itani³, Samar Karout³, Hani M J Khojah⁴, Asia Abed Al-Mahmood⁵, Karem H Alzoubi²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, PO. 11931 Amman, Jordan.
² Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, PO. 22110 Irbid, Jordan.
³ Pharmacy Practice Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon.
⁴ Department of Clinical and Hospital Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Dentistry College, Al-Iraqia University, Baghdad, Iraq.

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 is a pacing pandemic that affected health systems, economy, and social life in the whole world. Currently, there is no treatment for it, but the world is in a race that yielded, in a relatively short time than usual, several approved, promising vaccines in the middle of a storm of debates because of the speed of their production and approval.

Objective: This study assessed the willingness of Middle Eastern Arab publics to receive COVID-19 vaccines and investigated the factors behind any reluctance to receive them.

Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed through social media applications in four Arab countries (Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Iraq). Participants' demographics, medical history, their experience with COVID-19, and their willingness to receive the available vaccines were obtained and analyzed.

Results: A total of 2,925 completed forms were included. Only 25% of the participants were willing to receive a vaccine while 33% were hesitant. Iraqis were the most willing to receive it while Jordanians were the least (35% and 17% of each country, respectively). Interestingly, 60% of the acceptors were ready to pay for the vaccine if not covered by governments. It was also found that American vaccines were preffered by 50% of the acceptors. However, 30% of acceptors were unsure of which vaccine is the best and 11% stated that any vaccine is good. Social media were the major source of information about COVID-19 and its vaccines. Finally, predictors of acceptance of the vaccines included living in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, being unmarried, having monthly income > $1,000, holding a medical degree, having high fear from COVID-19, feeling of being at risk of getting infected with COVID-19, and previous reception of influenza vaccine, whereas predictors of refusal included female sex and previous infection with COVID-19.

Conclusion: Middle Eastern Arabs are less likely to accept receiving the COVID-19 vaccines compared with non-Arabs. Health authorities in these countries are advised to intensify their awareness-raising activities about the vaccines while ensuring fair distribution of them.

Keywords: COVID-19 vaccine; Hesitancy; Middle East; Predictors; Willingness.