https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3492-1882
![Sample our Bioscience journals, sign in here to start your access, Latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5925/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Bioscience.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
This cross-sectional study was conducted during the period between 08 and 28 December 2020 to investigate the association of nurses’ and midwives’ level of vaccination knowledge and the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance for themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic era in Cyprus. Participants included registered nurses and midwives working in public or private service provision. Data collection was achieved using a self-administered questionnaire with questions on socio-demographic characteristics, questions assessing participants’ general vaccination knowledge, and questions related to COVID-19 vaccination. A total of 437 responders answered the survey, with 93% being nurses and 7% midwives. The results indicate that as the vaccination knowledge score increases (higher knowledge) the probability of accepting the COVID-19 vaccination increases too (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.13–1.48). The association between vaccination knowledge and the intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 remained statistically significant, even after adjusting for age and gender (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.12–1.47), socioeconomic (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.12–1.48), and demographic characteristics (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.11–1.49). Also, as age increases, the probability of accepting the COVID-19 vaccination increases, while female respondents had a lower probability of accepting the COVID-19 vaccination than male respondents. This study demonstrated that COVID-19 vaccination acceptance is related to the vaccination knowledge of the nurses and midwives in Cyprus. Targeted vaccination campaigns are needed to improve nurses’ and midwives’ level of vaccination knowledge in order to achieve a better coverage among them, as well as to influence their patients’ ultimate positive vaccine decision.
Contribution to authorship
GF: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology, Writing-original draft. MK: Investigation, Formal analysis, Methodology, Visualization, Writing - original draft. SI: Writing-original draft GT: Conceptualization, Investigation, Methodology. KG: Conceptualization, Investigation, Formal analysis, Methodology, Project administration, Supervision, Writing - original draft. All the authors take responsibility for all aspects of the reliability and freedom from bias of the data presented and their discussed interpretation. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Ethical approval
This study was conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki guidelines, and all procedures involving research study participants were approved by the Cyprus National Bioethics Committee (CNBC) (ΕΕΒΚ ΕΠ 2020.01.255). Participation was anonymous, and all the participants were informed about the study aim and objectives before participating.