International Journal of Healthcare Sciences ISSN 2348-5728 (Online) Vol. 9, Issue 2, pp: (64-70), Month: October 2021 - March 2022, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
Willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 among High School Students in Sisaket Province, Thailand Napattakorn Suwannarat Satreesiriket school
Abstract: Due to the Coronavirus pandemic in 2019 that is currently mutating and spreading worldwide: the societies, economies, environments and the public’s mental health including the elderly, working people and youth are all severely affected as a result. After measures have been promulgated in order to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus impacting the public widely, the government needed to find a solution. One of the most competent ways to curb infection rate is vaccination roll-out, so the government is required to provide effective vaccines for their citizens. The goal of the study is to determine whether high school students in Thailand are willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, as well as to assess their degree of awareness and risk perception of becoming infected with COVID-19. It was predicted that their risk perception would influence their opinions towards COVID-19 vaccination. For this research, 329 high school students in grade 10-12 at Satreesiriket school in Sisaket Province, Thailand participated during 16 June to 7 July 2021. The students’ questionnaire included their level of awareness; risk perception; and willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to interpret the data. The findings revealed that respondents had good knowledge related to COVID-19 (M=13.25, SD=1.66), low awareness of COVID-19 information ( M=1.92, SD=0.94), low perceived risk ( M=1.98, SD=1.22), and moderate readiness to vaccinate against COVID-19 ( M=3.40, SD=1.59 ). According to the Pearson's correlation analysis that was statistically significant , knowledge of COVID-19 was positively connected with satisfaction with COVID-19 vaccination (r=.255**,p=0.01) with (r=.255**,p=0.01). The respondents' willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 was predicted by their knowledge of the virus ( Beta=.214, p<0.01). Keywords: Corona viruses disease 2019, Willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19, Reluctance to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
1. INTRODUCTION Background and importance of the issue Coronavirus belongs to a large family of viruses causing respiratory diseases. Illness ranges from a mild cold to severe COVID-19 diseases due to coronaviruses such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) [1]. At the end of 2019, coronavirus started to spread from a wild animal market or fresh fish market in the city of Wuhan, Hebei Province, China. Up until today, the virus has spreaded and reached almost every corner of the world. On 3 January 2019, a female tourist travelled from Wuhan to Suvarnabhumi Airport; on 12 January 2019 she had symptoms of a fever and sore throat and consequently admitted to Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute where she was tested positive for Coronavirus [2]. By August 2021, the number of people infected had reached over 1 million which included the first key cluster back in 2020 from Lumpinee Boxing Stadium and an underground casino in eastern Thailand region shattering both the society and economy gravely. Since then, the virus widen to all major tourist destinations in Thailand and at the beginning of 2021 nightclubs and lounges became a new cluster for the new Alpha Variant (formerly the UK Variant).The location coupled with a much faster infection rate led to many upper class people being affected which included but not limited to many well-known celebrities, politicians, and leading businessmen [3].
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