COVID 19 Vaccination Related Misconceptions and Myths

Article Information

Title: COVID 19 Vaccination Related Misconceptions and Myths

Authors: Tamkeen Nishat Jaffry, Hina Shan, Rehma Gillani, Uzma Hassan, Bismillah Sehar, Rubab Zulfiqar

Journal: Journal of Islamabad Medical and Dental College (JIMDC)

HEC Recognition History

Category	From	To
Y	2024-10-01	2025-12-31
Y	2023-07-01	2024-09-30
Y	2022-07-01	2023-06-30
Y	2021-07-01	2022-06-30
Y	2020-07-01	2021-06-30

Publisher: Healers Educational Society

Country: Pakistan

Year: 2022

Volume: 11

Issue: 2

Language: English

DOI: 10.35787/jimdc.v11i2.808

Keywords: COVID-19MisinformationVaccine

Abstract

Background: Mass vaccination is the most effective way to fight against COVID 19 but a significant number of people are unwilling to be vaccinated, mainly due to misinformation and false beliefs, associated with this drive. The objective of this study was to identify these misconceptions and myths and associate them with sociodemographic factors.
Methodology: This cross sectional survey was conducted on 562 residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad from July 2021 to November 2021. Data was collected through structured questionnaire both in English and Urdu, analysed by SPSS version 23. χ2-test was used to check the association of categorical data with sociodemographic factors.
Results:&nbsp; Out of all the participants, 328 (58.4%) had received COVID19 vaccination. Among these vaccinated individuals, 81.8% were graduates or above and 74.2% had family income more than Rs.50,000. Out of total, 40.7% respondents believed that, vaccine is harmful for diabetics, hypertensive and heart patients, 40.6% agreed that it is not safe for pregnant or lactating women and 40.4% assumed that they have acquired immunity through natural infection. A strong association of misconceptions and myths was found with residence (p value 0.0001), educational level (p value 0.0010) and monthly income (p value 0.0001).
Conclusion: Several misconceptions and myths are related with COVID 19 vaccination, strongly influenced by various socio demographic. Hence, there is a need to launch various campaigns regarding the safety and effectiveness of vaccination.
Key words: COVID-19, Misinformation, Vaccine

Disclaimer: The following sections are produced through an intensive multi-stage analytical pipeline developed by DefinePK, utilizing advanced natural-language processing, domain-specific knowledge models, and automated cross-referencing systems. Despite the rigor and computational effort involved, the generated summary may still contain inaccuracies or incomplete interpretations. Users are strongly advised to verify all critical information against the original paper and its authoritative sources.

Research Objective

To identify misconceptions and myths related to COVID-19 vaccination and associate them with sociodemographic factors.

Methodology

A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 562 residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad from July 2021 to November 2021. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire in English and Urdu and analyzed with SPSS version 23. A chi-square test was used to assess the association of categorical data with sociodemographic factors.

Methodology Flowchart

                        graph TD;
    A["Conduct Cross-Sectional Survey"] --> B["Collect Data via Questionnaire"];
    B --> C["Analyze Data with SPSS"];
    C --> D["Perform Chi-Square Test"];
    D --> E["Identify Associations"];
    E --> F["Report Findings and Conclusions"];

Discussion

The study found a significant association between sociodemographic factors and COVID-19 vaccination misconceptions. These findings align with international and national studies, highlighting the need for targeted awareness campaigns to address misinformation and promote vaccine confidence. Limitations include the study's restriction to twin cities and the use of non-probability sampling.

Key Findings

- 58.4% of participants had received COVID-19 vaccination.
- Among vaccinated individuals, 81.8% were graduates or above and 74.2% had a family income greater than Rs. 50,000.
- Common misconceptions included beliefs that the vaccine is harmful to diabetics, hypertensive, and heart patients (40.7%), not safe for pregnant or lactating women (40.6%), and that natural infection confers sufficient immunity (40.4%).
- Misconceptions and myths were strongly associated with residence (p=0.0001), educational level (p=0.0010), and monthly income (p=0.0001).

Conclusion

Various misconceptions and myths surrounding COVID-19 vaccination are prevalent and are significantly influenced by sociodemographic factors such as residence, education, and income.

Fact Check

- The study was conducted on 562 residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. (Confirmed)
- 58.4% of participants had received COVID-19 vaccination. (Confirmed)
- A p-value of 0.0001 was found for the association between residence and misconceptions. (Confirmed)

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