A psychological insight of Moroccan adults’ immunisation behaviour towards emergency vaccines

• Published in: African journal of primary health care & family medicine 2024-05, Vol.16 (1), p.e1-e10
• Main Authors: Benkaddour, Nour El Houda, Khalil, Hind, Lekfif, Asmae, Abda, Naima, Oneib, Bouchra, Bentata, Yassamine
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adults; Analysis; Anxiety; Biology; COVID-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 - psychology; COVID-19 Vaccines; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease transmission; Female; Health Care Sciences & Services; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Immunization; Infectious diseases; Insomnia; Institutions; Investigations; Male; Medicine, General & Internal; Morocco; Original Research; Pandemics; Perception; Perceptions; Population; Post traumatic stress disorder; Public health; Questionnaires; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Social networks; Software; Stress; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Students; Students - psychology; Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; Universities; University students; Vaccination; Vaccination - psychology; vaccination behaviour; Vaccination Hesitancy - psychology; Vaccination Hesitancy - statistics & numerical data; Vaccines; Variables; Young Adult; Young adults
• ISSN: 2071-2928; 2071-2936; 2071-2936
• DOI: 10.4102/phcfm.v16i1.4353

\r\nBackground\r\nThe psychology of vaccination behaviour explains how thoughts and feelings influence people’s willingness to receive vaccines. Understanding vaccination behaviour is crucial to successfully managing vaccination campaigns.\r\n\r\n\r\nAim\r\nInvestigating factors associated with immunisation stress among students at Mohammed First University.\r\n\r\n\r\nSetting\r\nThis study was conducted on students at Mohammed First University institutions.\r\n\r\n\r\nMethods\r\nThis study is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study. It was conducted on 305 students at Mohammed First University institutions using a 90-item questionnaire.\r\n\r\n\r\nResults\r\nThree hundred and five participants have been included in this survey. Overall, 65.5% of the students in our sample had a positive perception towards COVID-19 vaccines. Nevertheless, 34.5% had a negative opinion regarding immunisation. According to the analysis of perceived stress scale, 40% (n = 122) of students expressed moderate to high stress regarding vaccination. Students with a negative perception of vaccine showed a higher level of stress than those with a positive one. Stressed students tended to be older than others, coming from other institutions, other than the medical faculty, and were renting alone. Vaccine accessibility was the less significant reason associated with stress regarding vaccination. Moreover, participants with high levels of confidence in social media, exhibited higher stress. Nevertheless, those who believed in scientific journals were significantly less stressed.\r\n\r\n\r\nConclusion\r\nThese results reflect a positive perception and acceptance of vaccines, with a considerable level of stress regarding vaccination.\r\n\r\n\r\nContribution\r\nThis study suggests emphasising the mental health of Moroccan young adults, to better sensitise and inform them about immunisation.\r\n