title: Health-Care Workers' Perspectives on Ebola Virus Vaccine: A Focus Group and In-Depth Interview Interventional Study.
abstract: Health-care workers (HCWs) will require Ebola virus vaccine (EVV) when it is introduced because of the high risk of exposure to the disease. Evaluations of factors that facilitate or limit vaccine uptake are critical for a successful vaccine program. Nigerian HCWs were interviewed to evaluate their knowledge, levels of acceptance, determinants of acceptance, and willingness to pay for EVV. The significance level was set at P ≤ 0.05. None of the 193 participating HCWs had correct knowledge of EVV; 34.7% (67/193) of workers thought that EVV was an extract of the serum of Ebola virus patients. About 77.3% (51/66) of workers in a region that reported Ebola cases (Lagos) were willing to be vaccinated, compared with 4.7% (3/61) in Enugu and 13.6% (9/66) in Abia (P = 0.0001). After health education, the proportion of HCWs willing to receive EVV increased (P = 0.006) except for doctors (P < 0.1). The percentage of HCWs willing to pay for EVV was 86.4%, 72.1%, and 59% in Lagos, Enugu, and Abia, respectively. The workers had fears about EVV based on nonfactual assumptions. Therefore, the EVV introduction strategy should include a strong awareness campaign with adequate explanation about the content of EVV.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Division, Providence Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Dorothy O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Esangbedo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Enugu, Nigeria. maduka.ughasoro@unn.edu.ng.
authors.forename: Maduka D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ughasoro
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child Health, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. Department of Pediatrics, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Beckie N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Tagbo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Oshogbo, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adebiyi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olowu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Chukwuemeka
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anikene
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Chimaobi C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Iwegbulam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D046129:Ebola Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D046129:Ebola Vaccines