KNOWLEDGE, AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE COVID-19 VACCINE AMONG WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL AT PRIMARY HEALTHCARE CENTRES,...

COVID-19 Vaccination has been met with a variation in acceptability for various reasons, ranging from spiritual to physical perception of the vaccines, false information, and lack of information. Adequate knowledge and positivity will lead to high acceptance and willingness to take the vaccine. Acceptance of the vaccine by the general public and healthcare workers appears to play a major role in controlling the pandemic. Vaccine hesitancy is viewed by the World Health Organization as the world's top threat to public health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

This study is aimed at assessing the knowledge, acceptance, and perception of the COVID-19 vaccine among women attending Antenatal at Primary Healthcare Centers in Jos-Plateau State; Nigeria. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done in 2021 among 250 pregnant women using a multistage sampling technique. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Sociology-demographic variables were presented on tables using frequencies and proportions. Knowledge, attitude, and perception were scored and graded appropriately. The level of significance was set at a p-value≤0.05.

The majority, 224 (89.6%) were aware that there is a vaccine for coronavirus. Majority, 173 (69.2%) of the respondents had a fair knowledge of the vaccine, 45 (18%) had good knowledge while 32 (12.8%) had poor knowledge. Majority 151 (60.4%) of the respondents were willing to receive the vaccine if it was made available while 99 (39.6%) were not willing. Although only about 60 (24%) had received the vaccine with 83% of these being before pregnancy, 23 (24.0%) experienced allergic symptoms after taking the coronavirus vaccine, and 13 (13.5%) took the vaccine during pregnancy. Of these pregnant women, 14 (25.0) experienced side effects. The major misconception among the women was centered around false information from social media, such as magnetic properties of the vaccine. The major systemic side effects that were experienced by those who had received the vaccine were headaches (47.6%), catarrh (28.6%), injection site swelling (22.2%), fever (20.5%), and fatigue (16.0%). Abdominal pains (18.8%), preterm contraction (15.6%), bleeding per vagina (15.6%), miscarriage (9.4%), reduced or poor fetal kicks (9.4%) occurred after taking the vaccine during pregnancy.

The government and the PHC board should intensify sensitization of communities and patients about the COVID-19 vaccine using television, and radio and enlighten the persons who come for Ante Natal Care (ANC) through posters and oral awareness.