Original Research Factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among medical laboratory workers in South Africa

Melitah Motlhale, Kerry Wilson, David Jones, Graham Chin, Nisha Naicker

Journal of Public Health in Africa | Vol 16, No 1 | a1291 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/jphia.v16i1.1291 | © 2025 Melitah Motlhale, Kerry Wilson, David Jones, Graham Chin, Nisha Naicker | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 29 January 2025 | Published: 28 October 2025

About the author(s) Melitah Motlhale, Epidemiology and Surveillance Section, National Institute for Occupational Health, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
Kerry Wilson, Epidemiology and Surveillance Section, National Institute for Occupational Health, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; and, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
David Jones, Department of Safety Health and Environment (SHE), National Institute for Occupational Health, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
Graham Chin, Department of Safety Health and Environment (SHE), National Institute for Occupational Health, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
Nisha Naicker, Epidemiology and Surveillance Section, National Institute for Occupational Health, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; and, Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical laboratory workers had a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 compared to the general population.
Aim: To assess the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among medical laboratory workers in South Africa in 2022.
Setting: In South Africa among the healthcare worker population at the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) in 2022.
Methods: Descriptive statistics was used to identify the reasons for COVID-19 acceptance. We examined the association between COVID-19 acceptance and other socio-demographic factors using logistic regression analyses to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).
Results: The prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among NHLS workers was 82.8%. Most of the participants reported that their reason for COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was mainly to protect their family (62.6%) and to protect themselves (50.2%), and they perceived the vaccine to be safe (40.7%). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was mainly because the participants reported that there was very little research done on the vaccine (41.4%) and some were worried about the vaccine side effects (31.4%). Increased COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was associated with age, 40–49 years (OR: 5.35 [95% CI: 1.42–20.10]) and 50–59 years (OR: 11.0 [95% CI: 1.63–74.92]). Decreased COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was associated with black people (OR: 0.15 [95% CI: 0.03–0.89]).
Conclusion: The prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among medical laboratory workers was notably high.
Contribution: This study contributes to the body of knowledge on vaccine acceptance and hesitancy.

Keywords

COVID-19 vaccine; vaccination hesitancy; vaccination acceptance; vaccines; South Africa

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 3: Good health and well-being

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