Acceptability of Vaccination Against COVID-19 Among Healthcare Workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

PURPOSE: This study aims to estimate the acceptability of a future vaccine against COVID-19 and associated factors if offered in Congolese health-care workers (HCWs), since they have the highest direct exposure to the disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study among 23 Congolese referral hospitals, including three university hospitals, located in three towns from March through 30 April 2020. The main outcome variable was healthcare workers’ acceptance of a future vaccine against COVID-19. The associated factors of vaccination willingness were identified through a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A sample of 613 HCWs participated in the study and completed the study questionnaire, including 312 (50.9%) men and 301 (49.1%) women. Only 27.7% of HCWs said that they would accept a COVID-19 vaccine if it was available. From the logistic regression analysis, male healthcare workers (ORa=1.17, 95% CI: 1.15–2.60), primarily doctors (ORa=1.59; 95% CI:1.03–2.44) and having a positive attitude towards a COVID-19 vaccine (ORa=11.49; 95% CI: 5.88–22.46) were significantly associated with reporting willingness to be vaccinated. CONCLUSION: For acceptability of vaccination against COVID-19 among others education among HCWs is crucial because health professionals’ attitudes about vaccines are an important determinant of their own vaccine uptake and their likelihood of recommending the vaccine to their patients.