Global COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate: Systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: A vaccine against COVID-19 is a vital tool in managing the current pandemic. It is becoming evident that an effective vaccine would be required to control COVID-19. Effective use of vaccines is very important in controlling pandemics and paving the way for an acceptable exit strategy. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aims to determine the global COVID-19 acceptance rate that is necessary for better management of COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This review was conducted based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis protocols and considered the studies conducted on acceptance and/or hesitancy of COVID-19 vaccine. Articles were searched using electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. The quality of the study was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical assessment tool to determine the relevance of each included article to the study. RESULTS: Of the 6,021 articles identified through the electronic database search, 68 articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The global pooled acceptance rate of the COVID-19 vaccine was found to be 64.9% [95% CI of 60.5 to 69.0%]. Based on the subgroup analysis of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate by the World Health Organization's region, the countries where the study was conducted, occupation, and survey period, the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate was 60.8% [95% CI: 56.3, 65.2%], 61.9% [95% CI: 61.3, 62.4%], 81.6% [95% CI: 79.7, 83, 2%] and 64.5% [95% CI: 60.3, 68.5%], respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This review revealed the variation in the level of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate across the world. The study found that the overall prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was 64.9%. This finding indicated that even if the COVID-19 vaccine is developed, the issue of accepting or taking the developed vaccine and managing the pandemic may be difficult.