Original Research

Exploring healthcare workers’ immunisation behaviour towards COVID-19 vaccines through psychological patterns

Nour El Houda Benkaddour, Sara Ramdani, Hind Khalil, Asmae Lekfif, Naima Abda, Bouchra Oneib, Yassamine Bentata
African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine | Vol 17, No 1 | a4710 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v17i1.4710 | © 2025 Nour El Houda Benkaddour, Sara Ramdani, Hind Khalil, Asmae Lekfif, Naima Abda, Bouchra Oneib, Yassamine Bentata | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 08 August 2024 | Published: 24 January 2025

About the author(s)

Nour El Houda Benkaddour, Laboratory of Epidemiology, Clinical Research and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed First University of Oujda, Oujda, Morocco
Sara Ramdani, Laboratory of Epidemiology, Clinical Research and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed First University of Oujda, Oujda, Morocco
Hind Khalil, Laboratory of Epidemiology, Clinical Research and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed First University of Oujda, Oujda, Morocco
Asmae Lekfif, Laboratory of Epidemiology, Clinical Research and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed First University of Oujda, Oujda, Morocco
Naima Abda, Laboratory of Epidemiology, Clinical Research and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed First University of Oujda, Oujda, Morocco
Bouchra Oneib, Maternal-Infant and Mental Health Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed First University of Oujda, Oujda, Morocco; and Department of Psychiatry, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Oujda, Morocco
Yassamine Bentata, Laboratory of Epidemiology, Clinical Research and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed First University of Oujda, Oujda, Morocco; and Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation Unit, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Oujda, Morocco

Abstract

Background: The psychological approach can provide valuable insights into vaccination behaviour, especially in high-risk contexts. It offers new perspectives for effective interventions to improve vaccination behaviour.

Aim: To investigate key factors influencing stress related to vaccination in emergency situations among healthcare professionals.

Setting: Eastern region of Morocco.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study involving 221 healthcare professionals in the Eastern region of Morocco. A snowball sampling method was used to select the participants who were administered a questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was performed with p < 0.05 being the level of statistical significance.

Results: The participants had a median age of 25.5 years (30–34.5) and were predominantly females (68.3%). Vaccination coverage stood at 84.6%, with a positive perception of 77.8%. The analysis of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) revealed that 51.6% (n = 114) of healthcare professionals experienced stress towards vaccination. Females were almost two times more susceptible to experiencing vaccination stress (p = 0.03). Furthermore, the analysis showed that vaccination profile (p = 0.02), accepting the vaccine for any reason other than its accessibility (p = 0.03) and having a previous coronavirus disease 2019 infection (p = 0.03), were significantly associated with stress. In contrast, healthcare professionals based at the university hospital had a significantly lower stress level (p = 0.01).

Conclusion: Moroccan healthcare professionals exhibited high vaccine acceptance and positive perceptions, particularly among vaccinated individuals despite notable stress around immunisation.

Contribution: These insights can guide governments and policymakers in developing strategies to enhance healthcare workers’ awareness and understanding of vaccination.


Keywords

vaccination behaviour; stress; vaccination perception; COVID-19; healthcare workers; Morocco.

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 3: Good health and well-being

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