Factors Influencing the Uptake of Covid-19 Vaccination among Boda-Boda Riders in Mathare Sub-County, Kenya
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Date
2023-09Author
Otieno, John Gershom
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Due to the massive spread of the virus, there was a lot of advocacy and wide spread of
information on the importance of vaccination that would help and control the spread of
the virus. However, this was met by resistance and rejection by the people raising serious
concerns. It appeared there was scanty knowledge on the factors associated with vaccine
intake in Kenya, with a recent survey estimating the COVID 19 vaccine acceptance
among Kenyans to be around 16.28%. The main objective of the study was to establish
the factors that influences uptake of COVID-19 vaccination among Boda-Boda riders in
Mathare Sub-County in Nairobi. Specific objectives were to determine the influence of
respondents‘ perception, prior exposure, government policy, accessibility, and individual
factors on uptake of COVID-19 vaccination among Boda-Boda riders in Mathare. The
study adopted cross-sectional survey design. The study population were the Boda-Boda
riders within mathare sub county. A total sample of 140 study participants participated in
the study. The study adopted simple random sampling technique to achieve the sample
size. The study used questionnaire to collect primary data. Pre-etsting was done in
Ruaraka Sub-County. Collected data was entered and analyzed using SPSS v21 and
descriptive and inferential statistics (Chi-square and logistics regression analysis) were
done. The results show that majority 99 (70.7%) of the Boda-Boda riders ranged between
the age of 17-30. Majority 105 (75.0%) were not vaccinated while a quarter 35 (25.0%)
had been vaccinated. Majority 137 (97.9%) of the respondents posited that they were old
enough to make decisions on COVID 19 vaccination. The majority of the respondents
indicated that their faith did not prohibit the taking up of the COVID -19 vaccine,
however, the church and Muslims did not actively encourage their followers to get
vaccinated instead adopting COVID-19. Many of the respondents claimed that the haste
with which the vaccines were developed rendered them unsafe for use, and that because
getting vaccinated did not fully guarantee COVID-19 immunity, getting the vaccine was
not suitable for humans. mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policies by the government had
negative consequences on public trust, vaccine safety assurance, and human rights among
other concern. Boda-Boda operators who had a positive view towards the vaccine more
likely to go for the vaccination (OR= 1.21, p<0.05), those with correct information about
the vaccine were more likely to be vaccinated (OR=1.022, p<0.05) those who had once
experience severe COVID-19 infection were more likely to go for COVID -19
vaccination (OR=1.439, p<0.05), those aware aware of the existing policy framework on
COVID-19 vaccination were more likely to be vaccinated (OR=1.171, p<0.05), Where
policy on vaccination was not fully enforced Boda-Boda riders were less likely to go for
the vaccination (OR=0.79, p<0.05), those who had no knowledge about the seriousness
of COVID-19 infection were less likely to go for vaccination (OR=0.704, p<0.05). The
Ministry of Health should organize for more educational campaigns involving the Boda-
Boda riders as active participants through public road campaigns and Barraza‘s and also
organize training activities for the riders through various groups/ Sacco‘s in order to
reduce the negative perception. The Ministry of Health should continue with educational
communication on COVID-19 vaccination uptake both on print media such as
newspapers, radios and television to counter the misleading information about
vaccinations
Publisher
KeMU