Predictors for vaccine hesitancy among nursing students in Namibia

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Healthcare workers (HCWs) are prioritized for vaccination due to high exposure risks.
• Student nurses represent a crucial future healthcare workforce requiring adequate protection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination among student nurses.
• To identify risk factors associated with vaccine hesitancy.
• To inform vaccine uptake strategies for this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted with 509 student nurses at the University of Namibia.
• Proportionate stratified sampling was employed.
• Data were analyzed using SPSS, including bivariate and multiple logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Only 31.40% of students were vaccinated against COVID-19.
• Vaccine hesitancy was significantly associated with not being a prior healthcare worker (p < 0.001).
• Key reasons for hesitancy included lack of information on vaccine side effects (50.36%) and effectiveness (38.13%).

Conclusions:

• Targeted awareness campaigns are recommended to address concerns about vaccine benefits and side effects.
• Understanding hesitancy factors can improve vaccination strategies for future pandemics in Namibia and similar regions.