COVID-19 Vaccination Status among University Students in Jamaica

Abstract

This study seeks to explore vaccine hesitancy among university students at a tertiary institution in Jamaica since the effects of COVID-19. Specifically, it seeks to ask the following questions: What is the vaccination status of male and female respondents against COVID-19? What are the characteristics of the unvaccinated respondents against COVID 19? What reasons did the respondents give for their current unvaccinated position? A descriptive and web-based cross sectional research design was used to conduct a study on the vaccination status among university students in Jamaica, where a sample of 1200 students out of a total population of 3500 was surveyed during the period November 2021. The study used a convenience non-probability sampling procedure. A standardized instrument was developed and tested for validity and reliability and then sent to the students emails as well as their WhatsApp numbers. Only the questionnaires that were answered and returned become part of the study. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows, Version 27.0 was used to analyze the data. The data were analyzed by way of frequencies, per cents, and cross-tabulations, and displayed via tables and graphs. A p-value of 5 per cent (2-tailed) was used to determine the level of statistical significance. The results indicated that, the majority of the respondents are not vaccinated (56.8%), with only a few being fully-vaccinated against COVID-19 (28.6%). However, majority of them were planning to be vaccinated (41.9%), although 29.2% expressed being afraid of the vaccines. Fear of the unknown about the COVID-19 vaccine is fundamental reason for the hesitancy among sampled university students.