COVİD-19 vaccine acceptance of health workers

Aim: The acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine by health workers is critical both in terms of guiding society about the vaccine, as they have an increased risk of infection due to close contact with patients with COVID-19. This study aims to examine the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine by health workers and identify the situations that cause hesitation. Materials and Methods: The mean age of the participants was 33.2±8.9, and 71.7% were women. Of the health workers who answered the questionnaire, 49.4% were married and 42.9% were nurses/midwives. 30.6% of participants stated that they and 46.1% of the people they live with were diagnosed with COVID-19. The percentage of being vaccinated against COVID-19 was 81% in all healthcare workers, 92% in doctors, 76% in nurses/midwives, 81% in allied health personnel, and 77% in technical/administrative personnel. The most common reasons for getting the COVID-19 vaccine were identified as being afraid of making their relatives sick, being informed about the protective effects of the vaccine, finding the vaccine safe, and being afraid of getting sick. Worrying about the effectiveness of the vaccine, fear of side effects, and having had COVID-19 were found to be the most common reasons for not being vaccinated. Results: Mean age of participants was 33.2±8.9, 71.7% of them were women, 49.4% were married, and 42.9% were nurses or midwives. 30.6% of the health workers participating in the study stated that they were diagnosed with COVID-19. The percentage of whole healthcare workers being vaccinated against COVID-19 was 81%, 92% for doctors, 76% for nurses/midwives, 81% for allied health personnel, and 77% for technical/administrative personnel. Fear of making their relatives sick, being informed about the protective effects of the vaccine, finding the vaccine safe, and being afraid of getting sick are the most common reasons for getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Concern about the effectiveness of the vaccine, fear of side effects, and having COVID-19 were the most common reasons for not being vaccinated. Conclusion: High vaccine acceptance percentage was found to be associated with being older than 30 years old, having a child, not being pregnant, having a medical residency education/doctorate/master's degree, being a doctor, working experience of three years or more, having at least one flu vaccine. It is necessary to provide sufficient and convincing information about the COVID-19 vaccine to society and health workers. Factors that increase vaccine acceptance, and reasons leading to vaccine hesitancy or vaccine rejection should be analyzed and reflected in the field in vaccination studies together with solution suggestions. Key words: COVID-19, health workers, pandemic, vaccine acceptance.