Assessing knowledge and perceptions towards the covid-19 vaccine among the community of kalerwe-besina slum

Abstract

The corona virus disease-2019 (Covid-19) caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome-corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the 11th March 2020. Since then, WHO estimated that 10% of the world‘s population had contracted the virus resulting into over 2.9 million deaths as of 22nd April 2021 and complications like pulmonary fibrosis to the survivors. Because of such morbidity and mortality, countries worldwide put up measures to protect their populations against the virus. These measures included putting on masks, partial, total lockdowns and most recently, getting vaccinated. Despite the fact that safe and effective vaccines had been developed and distributed globally, knowledge and perceptions towards the Covid-19 vaccine among slum dwellers is poorly understood and this could affect the uptake of the vaccine among these people thus reducing their herd immunity. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the knowledge and perceptions towards the Covid-19 vaccine among the community of Kalerwe-Besina slum.

Objectives The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge and perceptions towards Covid-19 vaccine among the community of Kalerwe-Besina slum.

Methods The research employed a quantitative cross-sectional study among 367 residents in Kalerwe-Besina slum, mean age 35.5, SD 11.39, age range 18-56 years, female 52.6%. the study was carried out by administering semi structured questionnaires containing informed consent along with sections of knowledge, perception and socio-demographics. Simple frequency was used to determine proportion, bivariate and multi variate analysis done to determine the variables predicting knowledge and perceptions towards Covid-19 vaccine.

Results 90.5% of the study participants had insufficient knowledge about the Covid-19 vaccine,41.4 % of these were male, 49.1% were female. 49.6% of the participants thought that the vaccine was safe. In Bivariate analysis, marital status, age and education level were significantly associated with knowledge. Over half of the participants thought that everyone should get vaccinated, 14.4% of the participants thought that politicians should get vaccinated. 58.3% were willing to get vaccinated but with reasons of fear of being unable to access services in the future because of not being vaccinated.

Conclusion The findings reflect insufficient knowledge and wrong perceptions towards the Covid-19 vaccine among the community of Kalerwe-Besina slum. In order to improve knowledge and perceptions, immediate health education programs need to be initiated.