COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in older Syrian refugees: Preliminary findings from an ongoing study

Salibi, Noura; Abdulrahim, Sawsan; El Haddad, Maria; Bassil, Stephanie; El Khoury, Zeina; Ghattas, Hala; McCall, Stephen J.

This study assesses COVID-19 vaccine intentions among a sample of older Syrian refugee beneficiaries of a humanitarian organization in Lebanon, and explores factors associated with vaccine refusal. The findings are part of an ongoing rotating 4-wave panel study. The sample was limited to participants from the first panel who completed a phone interview between January-February 2021. Out of 1,037 beneficiaries, almost a third (29%) reported no intention to vaccinate. Reasons for refusal were: newness of the vaccine (35%); preference to maintain precaution measures (21%); belief that the COVID-19 vaccine is not essential (21%); and other (23%). COVID-19 vaccine refusal was significantly associated with perceptions regarding vaccine safety (OR: 5.97; 95%CI: 4.03–8.84) and effectiveness (OR: 6.80; 95%CI:4.44–10.42) but did not differ by age, presence of chronic conditions, self-reported adherence to COVID-19 measures, and perceptions of susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19. Addressing vaccine hesitancy among Syrian refugees in Lebanon necessitates disseminating accurate, accessible, and culturally appropriate information about vaccine safety and effectiveness.