Acceptance of the COVID-19 Vaccine Among Elderly in Suphanburi District, Suphanburi Province

Abstract

This descriptive study aimed to investigate the proportion of acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among the elderly in Mueang Suphanburi Province and identify the relationship between predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors and the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among the elderly. Data were collected between May and August 2022, with questionnaires on a sample of 330 elderly people. The analysis was based on descriptive statistics and binary logistic regressions at a 5% significance level. It was found that 63.9% of elderly people accepted the COVID-19 vaccine. Regarding the relationship between predisposing factors and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, female elderly showed a higher rate of acceptance than male (AOR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.10–3.57). The elderly who have never smoked and who used to smoke but had already quit smoking showed a higher rate of vaccine acceptance than those still smoking (AOR = 3.89, 95% CI: 1.379–11.006, AOR = 1.59, 95% CI: 0.586–4.342). The elderly who had a high and moderate level of perception of the severity of COVID-19 disease were more accepting of the vaccine than those with a low perception level (AOR = 4.30, 95% CI: 0.878-21.044, AOR = 1.70, 95% CI: 0.321-9.035). With regard to enabling factors, it was found that the elderly who have a good and moderate level of access to COVID-19 vaccination services are more accepting of the vaccine than those who have a low level (AOR = 6.38, 95% CI: 1.38–29.49, AOR = 2.02, 95% CI: 0.40–10.18, respectively). The findings of the study can help develop guidelines to promote the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines during any future pandemic diseases. The results of the study can serve to encourage proactive action by public health authorities in providing information, knowledge, and awareness about the risks and severity of the disease