Predictors of COVID-19 stress and COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among adolescents in Ghana

Emma Sethina ADJAOTTOR, Frimpong-Manso ADDO, Florence Aninniwaa AHORSU, Hsin-Pao CHEN, Daniel Kwasi AHORSU

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlespeer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to ravage world economies, and with its recent mutations, countries worldwide are finding ways of ramping up their vaccination programmes. This cross-sectional design study, therefore, examined the predictors of COVID-19 stress and COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among adolescents in Ghana. A total of 817 participants were conveniently selected to respond to measures on fear of COVID-19, perceived stigma from COVID-19, self-stigma from COVID-19, believing COVID-19 information, COVID-19 infection prevention behaviours, COVID-19 stress, and COVID-19 vaccination acceptance. It was found that females believed COVID-19 information and accepted COVID-19 vaccination more than males did. Moreover, there were significant relationships between the majority of the COVID-19-related variables. Furthermore, fear of COVID-19, self-stigma from COVID-19, and COVID-19 infection prevention behaviours were found to be significant predictors of COVID-19 stress. Additionally, believing COVID-19 information, danger and contamination fears (a subscale of COVID-19 stress), and traumatic stress (a subscale of COVID-19 stress) were significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccination acceptance. These findings imply that different factors influence different COVID-19 variable. Therefore, careful considerations and research should be employed by health authorities and policymakers in preparing COVID-19 information to target different age groups and for different COVID-19 purposes. Copyright © 2022 by the authors.

Original languageEnglish
Article number7871
JournalInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume19
Issue number13
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2022

Citation

Adjaottor, E. S., Addo, F.-M., Ahorsu, F. A., Chen, H.-P., & Ahorsu, D. K. (2022). Predictors of COVID-19 stress and COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among adolescents in Ghana. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(13). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137871

Keywords

  • Fear of COVID-19
  • Perceived stigma from COVID-19
  • Self-stigma from COVID-19
  • Believing COVID-19 information
  • Preventive COVID-19 infection behaviours
  • COVID-19 stress
  • COVID-19 vaccination acceptance

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