Demand for Covid-19 Vaccine and Factors Relating to the Readiness of Health Workers for the Provision of Vaccination Services, Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

This is a cross-sectional analytical study aimed to assess the situation of COVID-19 vaccine demand among the health personnel in Khon Kaen Province and the factors related to the readiness for providing COVID-19 vaccination service. The study samples were 2,938 health personnel who got vaccinated and 80 members of the vaccination team. The data was collected by using a set of forms for the assessment on knowledge and practice of health personnel; and the capacity assessment of the vaccination team. Additional data were collected from conference papers and the observation of service activity. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentages, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression). Qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis. The study found that 81.7% of health personnel needed vaccination. Both public and private sector services were mostly managed at the provincial level. The personnel were prepared by using the service network system to analyze the readiness of the vaccine service. It was also found that (1) the personnel, as vaccination recipients, were well aware of the right practice, but the characteristics of the target group and knowledge were correlated at a low level with regard to the practice, and (2) as a vaccination service provider, the personnel in the vaccination team had a high level of competency. The personnel skills could predict the readiness of vaccine service up to 12.34% (p=0.0008, 95%CI=0.20- 0.75). It was recommended that health service unit should increase knowledge, skills training, and preparedness of the personnel before the actual provision of vaccination services.