1. Trusted sources of information on COVID-19 vaccine in Uganda.
- Author
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Nyeko Oloya, Johnson, Onira Alema, Nelson, Okot, Christopher, Olal, Emmanuel, Nzirakaindi Ikoona, Eric, Wathum Drinkwater Oyat, Freddy, Steven, Baguma, Omoya Ochula, Denish, Odong Olwedo, Patrick, Pebalo Pebolo, Francis, Okot Atim, Pamela, Smart Okot, Godfrey, Nantale, Ritah, Aloyo, Judith, and Lagoro Kitara, David
- Subjects
COVID-19 vaccines ,AGE groups ,TRUST ,INFORMATION resources ,MEDICAL personnel ,STATISTICAL sampling - Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted communities worldwide, particularly in developing countries. To successfully control the pandemic, correct information and more than 80% vaccine coverage in a population were required. However, misinformation and disinformation could impact this, thus increasing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in communities. Several studies observed the effect of misinformation and disinformation on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and other responses to the pandemic in the African continent. Thus, the most trusted sources of information on COVID-19 vaccines are critical for the successful management and control of the pandemic. This study aimed to assess the most trusted sources of information on COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic in Uganda. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 587 adult population members in northern Uganda. Single-stage stratified and systematic sampling methods were used to select participants from northern Uganda. An interviewer-administered questionnaire with an internal validity of Cronbach's α = 0.72 was used for data collection. An Institution Review Board (IRB) approved this study and Stata version 18 was used for data analysis. A Pearson Chi-square (χ2) analysis was conducted to assess associations between trusted sources of COVID-19 vaccine information and selected independent variables. Fisher's exact test considered associations when the cell value following cross-tabulation was < 5. A P-value < 0.05 was used as evidence for an association between trusted sources of information and independent variables. All results were presented as frequencies, proportions, Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests, and P-values at 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). Results: In a study of 587 participants, most were males, 335(57.1%), in the age group of 25–34 years, 180(31.4%), and the most trusted source of COVID-19 vaccine information were the traditional media sources for example, Televisions, Radios, and Newspapers, 349(33.6%). There was no significant association between sex and trusted sources of COVID-19 vaccine information. However, by age-group population, COVID-19 vaccine information was significantly associated with internet use (14.7% versus 85.3%; p = 0.02), information from family members (9.4% versus 90.6%; p < 0.01), and the Government/Ministry of Health (37.9% versus 62.1%; p < 0.01). Between healthcare workers and non-health workers, it was significantly associated with internet use (32.2% versus 67.8%; p = 0.03), healthcare providers (32.5% versus 67.5%; p < 0.018), the Government/Ministry of Health (31.1% versus 68.9%; p < 0.01), and scientific articles (44.7% versus 55.3%; p < 0.01). Conclusion: The most trusted sources of COVID-19 vaccine information in northern Uganda were Televisions, Radios, and Newspapers. The trusted sources of COVID-19 vaccine information were not significantly different between males and females. However, there were significant differences among age groups and occupations of participants with younger age groups (≤ 44 years) and non-healthcare workers having more trust in Televisions, Radios, and Newspapers. Thus, for effective management of an epidemic, there is a need for accurate communication so that misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation in the era of "infodemic" do not disrupt the flow of correct information to communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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