The risk perception of COVID-19 and vaccine uptake among patients with chronic illnesses at a tertiary health facility in Nigeria.

Abstract

Objectives: This study assessed the risk perception of COVID-19 and the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine among patients with chronic illnesses in a tertiary health facility. Design: A hospital-based cross-sectional study. Setting: The outpatient clinics in a tertiary health facility in Ilorin, North-Central Nigeria Participants: Patients with chronic diseases attending outpatient clinics in UITH, Ilorin from November- December 2022, excluding patients under 18 years of age, using simple random sampling by balloting for outpatient clinics, proportional allocation for participants from each clinic, and systematic sampling method for eligible respondents. Main outcome measure: Risk perception of COVID-19 and vaccine uptake among patients with chronic illnesses in Nigeria Results: Respondents believed that older people were most at risk of COVID-19. Over two-thirds, 278 (69.5%) of the respondents had received the COVID-19 vaccine. Fear of the unknown (36.0%) and fear of side effects 30 (24.6%) were the most common reasons for not taking the vaccine. Those married were more likely to have received at least one dose of the vaccine (p=0.007). Conclusion: COVID-19 risk perception and COVID-19 vaccine uptake were relatively above average. Fear of the unknown and side effects were significant reasons for not taking the vaccines.