Professional paper
ATTITUDES ABOUT VACCINATION AGAINST COVID–19 AMONG MEDICAL DOCTORS AND NURSES IN SPLIT-DALMATIA COUNTY
IVANA VIDAN
orcid.org/0009-0000-2785-7520
; University Department of Health Studies, University of Split, Split, Croatia
IRIS JERONČIĆ-TOMIĆ
orcid.org/0000-0002-1510-4000
; School of Medicine, University of Split, Split, Croatia
ROSANDA MULIĆ
orcid.org/0000-0003-3334-9658
; School of Medicine, University of Split, Split, Croatia; Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Split, Split, Croatia
Abstract
Background: Attitudes of healthcare workers towards vaccination against COVID-19 represent an important factor in performing
the vaccination, dealing with vaccine hesitancy and motivating the hesitant population. Medical nurses spend more working
time than medical doctors in direct contact with patients, so their vaccination attitudes are very important. Objective of the study was to analyze the attitudes of healthcare workers in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia, towards vaccination against COVID-19, according to their occupation, gender, age, educational level, and educational level of their parents. Methods: An anonymous, voluntary survey questionnaire was completed by 396 health workers. The respondents were divided into two groups of medical doctors and nurses. The sample was predominated by medical nurses, with a total of 319 (80.55%) nurses. Likert scale was used for assessing the attitudes. Differences between medical nurses/technicians and doctors regarding the observed features were examined by use of the χ2-test. The hypothesis was validated through T-test and ANOVA test with the Least Significant Difference post hoc test, whereas the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was previously used to test normal data distribution. The dependence was checked through χ2
-test. Results and Conclusion: The hypothesis was confirmed, i.e., medical nurses/technicians have more negative attitudes towards vaccination than doctors. Of all included parameters (age, gender, educational level, parents’ educational level, fear of injections), only the respondents’ educational level positively affected the attitude towards vaccination. Although it initially seemed that the educational level of the respondents’ parents had effects on the vaccination attitudes, subsequent post hoc testing did not prove this possibility.
Keywords
COVID-19; attitudes towards vaccination; health workers
Hrčak ID:
310562
URI
Publication date:
22.11.2023.
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