TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring vaccine hesitancy among healthcare providers in the United Arab Emirates
T2 - a qualitative study
AU - Elbarazi, Iffat
AU - Al-Hamad, Sania
AU - Alfalasi, Salma
AU - Aldhaheri, Ruwaya
AU - Dubé, Eve
AU - Alsuwaidi, Ahmed R.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the United Arab Emirates University under Grant [number 1132]. The funding source did not participate in the study design, data collection, analysis and interpretation of the data, or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. We thank the participating healthcare providers at the ambulatory healthcare service clinics for their support of this study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Healthcare providers (HCPs) are at the frontline to curb the spread of vaccine hesitancy in the community. However, HCPs themselves may delay or refuse vaccines. In light of the emerging vaccine hesitancy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), we aimed to explore HCPs doubts and concerns regarding vaccination. We conducted face-to-face interviews with 33 HCPs from 7 ambulatory healthcare services in the Al Ain region, UAE. An interview guide was developed based on the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control guide for vaccine hesitancy among HCPs. An inductive thematic framework was employed to explore the main and emerging themes conceptualizing the predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling factors that influence HCPs’ hesitancy regarding vaccinations for themselves and while recommending, prescribing, or discussing vaccines with their patients. The sample included general practitioners, family physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other administrative staff. The major themes included positive predisposing factors such as trust in the system and the government, previous education, and social responsibility. Positive enabling factors included affordability and availability of vaccination services. Many participants were hesitant to receive the mandatory influenza vaccination. Misinformation regarding vaccines on social media was a major concern. However, HCPs showed little interest in being active on social media. Most participants reported never receiving any training on how to address vaccine hesitancy among patients. Because HCPs play an important role in influencing patients’ decisions regarding undergoing vaccination, their confidence in addressing vaccine hesitancy must be improved.
AB - Healthcare providers (HCPs) are at the frontline to curb the spread of vaccine hesitancy in the community. However, HCPs themselves may delay or refuse vaccines. In light of the emerging vaccine hesitancy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), we aimed to explore HCPs doubts and concerns regarding vaccination. We conducted face-to-face interviews with 33 HCPs from 7 ambulatory healthcare services in the Al Ain region, UAE. An interview guide was developed based on the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control guide for vaccine hesitancy among HCPs. An inductive thematic framework was employed to explore the main and emerging themes conceptualizing the predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling factors that influence HCPs’ hesitancy regarding vaccinations for themselves and while recommending, prescribing, or discussing vaccines with their patients. The sample included general practitioners, family physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other administrative staff. The major themes included positive predisposing factors such as trust in the system and the government, previous education, and social responsibility. Positive enabling factors included affordability and availability of vaccination services. Many participants were hesitant to receive the mandatory influenza vaccination. Misinformation regarding vaccines on social media was a major concern. However, HCPs showed little interest in being active on social media. Most participants reported never receiving any training on how to address vaccine hesitancy among patients. Because HCPs play an important role in influencing patients’ decisions regarding undergoing vaccination, their confidence in addressing vaccine hesitancy must be improved.
KW - Healthcare workers
KW - United Arab Emirates
KW - influenza vaccine
KW - social media
KW - vaccine hesitancy
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U2 - 10.1080/21645515.2020.1855953
DO - 10.1080/21645515.2020.1855953
M3 - Article
C2 - 33369524
AN - SCOPUS:85098555170
SN - 2164-5515
VL - 17
SP - 2018
EP - 2025
JO - Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics
JF - Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics
IS - 7
ER -