Are midwifery students ready for the COVID-19 vaccine? The decision to vaccinate and affecting factors

Abstract

Aim This study aims to determine the decision of midwifery students, who are the midwives of the future, on getting the COVID-19 vaccine and affecting factors. Method The sample of this online cross-sectional study consisted of 1879 midwifery students in Turkey. The data collection tools of the study included a sociodemographic data form, the Health Literacy Index, Perception of Causes of COVID-19 and Attitudes Toward the COVID-19 Vaccine Scale. Descriptive statistics, correlation and linear regression analyses were used in the analysis of the data. Findings Among the participants, 65.7% (1235) did not want to get the COVID-19 vaccine. In this study, those who found childhood vaccines beneficial among the students, those reporting positive attitudes toward vaccinations and those who listened to the recommendations of health-care workers had higher rates of not wanting to get the COVID-19 vaccine. It was found that the students' decisions to get the vaccine were not affected by their health literacy levels. However, their attitudes toward vaccination were negatively effective, and their perceptions of COVID-19 causes were positively effective. Conclusion In our study, the midwifery students who perceived the cause of COVID-19 as a conspiracy did not want to be vaccinated. Midwifery students should move away from the perception of conspiracy, and they should be informed about COVID-19 with scientific facts.