COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in Ghana: A systematic review

What is it about?

The propensity to accept vaccines and factors that affect vaccine acceptance and hesitancy will determine the overall success of the COVID-19 vaccination program. Therefore, countries need to understand the factors that influence vaccine acceptance and hesitancy to prevent further future shocks, and it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of these factors. As a result, this study aims to review selected published works in the study’s domain and conduct valuable analysis to determine the most influential factors in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in Ghana. The review also explored the acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccines in Ghana. We selected published works from 2021 to April 2023 and extracted, analyzed, and summarized the findings based on the key factors that influence COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in Ghana, the acceptance rate in Ghana, the demographic factors that are often examined, and the study approach used to examine these factors. The study found that positive vaccination perception, safety, belief in vaccine efficacy, knowledge of COVID-19, and a good vaccine attitude influence COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Ghana. The negative side effects of the vaccines, mistrust in the vaccine, lack of confidence in the vaccine’s safety, fear, and spiritual and religious beliefs all played significant roles in influencing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. For this study, the COVID-19 acceptance rates observed in the reviewed articles ranged from 17.5% to 82.6%. The demographic parameters frequently included in these studies that have a significant impact include educational attainment, gender, religious affiliation, age, and marital status. The positive perceptions of the COVID-19 vaccine and concerns about its negative effects influenced Ghanaians’ acceptance and hesitancy.

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Photo by Julian Wan on Unsplash

Photo by Julian Wan on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The current review findings provide empirical evidence to justify the start of further research on Ghana’s acceptance and hesitancy of COVID-19 vaccines. The study also provides healthcare practitioners with an approach for identifying country-specific characteristics that influence the acceptance and hesitancy of vaccines. In future situations, this approach may be used to devise strategies that facilitate the extensive and equitable distribution of vaccines across Ghana. This study will greatly benefit health policymakers by assisting them in developing evidence-based promotional strategies to enhance public engagement in the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out. Furthermore, now that COVID-19 is no longer considered a pandemic, the study’s findings will assist policymakers in future vaccine rollouts by addressing key factors that influence vaccine acceptance and hesitancy. To combat vaccine hesitancy and encourage vaccination adoption, policymakers may address public disinformation, foster public trust in the vaccine, and promote positive perceptions of its safety and effectiveness.