Perception of availability and ease of access to COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction: the government of Nigeria, through concerned agencies/authorities, is ensuring a large-scale and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccination across the country. To understand how the eligible population accesses these vaccines, we assessed the perception of availability and accessibility of the COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria. Methods: the study was part of a larger cross-sectional survey conducted in Nigeria between July and August 2021 to understand broader behavioral, social, and access-related drivers of COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare workers (HCW) and non-healthcare workers (NHCWs) using a data tool adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO) guidance on behavioral and social drivers of vaccination. Data was collected from 1548 respondents across 8 Nigerian states using a multistage sampling approach and analyzed descriptively and inferentially, using SPSS Version 20 to understand the perceptions of vaccine availability and accessibility. Results: individual perceptions on the availability of vaccines were significant across two categories (that is, for NHCWs and HCWs) across rural and urban areas (X2=14.121, p<0.001) and between NHCWs and HCWs (X2=23.508, p<0.001). Non-health care workers were significantly more likely to perceive difficulties in accessing COVID-19 vaccines compared to health care workers (X2=29.8, p<0.001), and rural residents reported more challenges than their urban counterparts (X2=23.0, p<0.001). Conclusion: the study found that respondents' perceptions of vaccine availability and accessibility were mostly influenced by location and recommended more vaccination points across rural and urban communities to improve the COVID-19 vaccination experience.
Source: Pan African Medical Journal
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $180
OpenAlex ID: W4416228847