Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.3325/cmj.2022.63.79
Vaccination intention among healthcare workers during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in relation to knowledge: a crosssectional study in Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Poland
Nevenka Kregar Velikonja
orcid.org/0000-0002-0479-3779
; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Novo Mesto, Novo Mesto, Slovenia
Vislava Globevnik Velikonja
; Division for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Ivan Verdenik
orcid.org/0000-0001-6249-5799
; Division for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Ivan Jurišić
orcid.org/0000-0001-9403-6853
; General Hospital Bjelovar, Bjelovar, Croatia
Sanja Stanisavljević
; The College of Health Sciences, Academy of Applied Studies Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Beata Dobrowolska
; Department of Management in Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
Karmen Erjavec
orcid.org/0000-0003-4971-0292
; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Novo Mesto, Novo Mesto, Slovenia
Abstract
Aim To analyze SARS-CoV-2 vaccination intention and acceptance in relation to the knowledge about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among healthcare workers
(HCWs) in Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Poland.
Methods In spring 2020, an online survey was distributed
among HCWs by using snowball sampling. The questionnaire was fully completed by 623 respondents: 304 from
Croatia, 86 from Slovenia, 90 from Serbia, and 143 from Poland. The survey collected data on demographic characteristics (age, gender, education), vaccination acceptance,
and knowledge about COVID-19.
Results A total of 31% of respondents declared their intention to be vaccinated when a vaccine against COVID-19 is
available, and 45% were undecided. Vaccination intention
was associated with age, educational level, and knowledge
about the pandemic, and differed significantly among the
countries. Younger HCWs (18-25 years) and those with
higher education more frequently expressed vaccination
acceptance. Vaccination acceptance score was not associated with gender.
Conclusions HCWs with higher knowledge were more
likely to express vaccination intention. Improving the
knowledge about COVID-19 and increasing HCWs’ education might also increase vaccination acceptance among
HCWs, and consequently in the general population.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
279002
URI
Publication date:
17.2.2022.
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