COVID-19 Vaccines: Fear of side effects among German health care workers

Please always quote using this URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-270561
  • (1) Background: Health care workers (HCWs) play a key role in increasing anti-COVID vaccination rates. Fear of potential side effects is one of the main reasons for vaccine hesitancy. We investigated which side effects are of concern to HCWs and how these are associated with vaccine hesitancy. (2) Methods: Data were collected in an online survey in February 2021 among HCWs from across Germany with 4500 included participants. Free-text comments on previously experienced vaccination side effects, and fear of short- and long-term side effects of(1) Background: Health care workers (HCWs) play a key role in increasing anti-COVID vaccination rates. Fear of potential side effects is one of the main reasons for vaccine hesitancy. We investigated which side effects are of concern to HCWs and how these are associated with vaccine hesitancy. (2) Methods: Data were collected in an online survey in February 2021 among HCWs from across Germany with 4500 included participants. Free-text comments on previously experienced vaccination side effects, and fear of short- and long-term side effects of the COVID-19 vaccination were categorized and analyzed. (3) Results: Most feared short-term side effects were vaccination reactions, allergic reactions, and limitations in daily life. Most feared long-term side effects were (auto-) immune reactions, neurological side effects, and currently unknown long-term consequences. Concerns about serious vaccination side effects were associated with vaccination refusal. There was a clear association between refusal of COVID-19 vaccination in one's personal environment and fear of side effects. (4) Conclusions: Transparent information about vaccine side effects is needed, especially for HCW. Especially when the participants' acquaintances advised against vaccination, they were significantly more likely to fear side effects. Thus, further education of HCW is necessary to achieve good information transfer in clusters as well.show moreshow less

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Author: Christopher Holzmann-Littig, Tamara Frank, Christoph Schmaderer, Matthias C. Braunisch, Lutz Renders, Peter Kranke, Maria Popp, Christian Seeber, Falk Fichtner, Bianca Littig, Javier Carbajo-Lozoya, Joerg J. Meerpohl, Bernhard Haller, Christine Allwang
URN:urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-270561
Document Type:Journal article
Faculties:Medizinische Fakultät / Klinik und Poliklinik für Anästhesiologie (ab 2004)
Language:English
Parent Title (English):Vaccines
ISSN:2076-393X
Year of Completion:2022
Volume:10
Issue:5
Article Number:689
Source:Vaccines (2022) 10:5, 689. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10050689
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10050689
Dewey Decimal Classification:6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
Tag:COVID-19; fears; health care workers; side-effects; vaccine hesitancy
Release Date:2023/05/30
Date of first Publication:2022/04/28
Licence (German):License LogoCC BY: Creative-Commons-Lizenz: Namensnennung 4.0 International