Editorial

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2 pages, 142 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Challenges and Perspectives for Prevention of Infectious Diseases

by Yutaka Ueda

Vaccines 2021, 9(6), 571; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/vaccines9060571 - 01 Jun 2021

Viewed by 1725

Abstract

The world is currently engaged in an ongoing battle against COVID-19 [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Consciousness and Behavior towards Infectious Diseases and Vaccines)

Research

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17 pages, 1423 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reasons for Taking the COVID-19 Vaccine by US Social Media Users

by Arriel Benis, Abraham Seidmann and Shai Ashkenazi

Vaccines 2021, 9(4), 315; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/vaccines9040315 - 29 Mar 2021

Cited by 57 | Viewed by 9289

Abstract

Political and public health leaders promoting COVID-19 vaccination should identify the most relevant criteria driving the vaccination decision. Social media is increasingly used as a source of vaccination data and as a powerful communication tool to increase vaccination. In December 2020, we performed [...] Read more.

Political and public health leaders promoting COVID-19 vaccination should identify the most relevant criteria driving the vaccination decision. Social media is increasingly used as a source of vaccination data and as a powerful communication tool to increase vaccination. In December 2020, we performed a cross-sectional social media-based survey addressing personal sentiments toward COVID-19 vaccination in the USA. Our primary research objective is to identify socio-demographic characteristics and the reasons for the 1644 survey participants’ attitudes regarding vaccination. We present clear evidence that, contrary to the prevailing public perceptions, young audiences using social media have mostly a positive attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination (81.5%). These younger individuals want to protect their families and their relatives (96.7%); they see vaccination as an act of civic responsibility (91.9%) and express strong confidence in their healthcare providers (87.7%). Another critical factor is the younger population’s fear of personal COVID-19 infection (88.2%); moreover, the greater the number of children the participants have, the greater is their intent to get the COVID-19 vaccine. These results enable a practical public-messaging pathway to reinforce vaccination campaigns addressing the younger population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Consciousness and Behavior towards Infectious Diseases and Vaccines)

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11 pages, 411 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Disparity of Cervical Cancer Risk in Young Japanese Women: Bipolarized Status of HPV Vaccination and Cancer Screening

by Mariko Taniguchi, Yutaka Ueda, Asami Yagi, Ai Miyoshi, Yusuke Tanaka, Ryoko Minekawa, Masayuki Endo, Takuji Tomimatsu, Kei Hirai, Tomio Nakayama and Tadashi Kimura

Vaccines 2021, 9(3), 280; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/vaccines9030280 - 19 Mar 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2346

Abstract

Women born between 1994 and 1999 achieved high vaccination rates for human papillomavirus (HPV); they are now reaching the age of cervical cancer screening programs in Japan. In this study, we aimed to investigate the health awareness of HPV-vaccinated and unvaccinated women and [...] Read more.

Women born between 1994 and 1999 achieved high vaccination rates for human papillomavirus (HPV); they are now reaching the age of cervical cancer screening programs in Japan. In this study, we aimed to investigate the health awareness of HPV-vaccinated and unvaccinated women and to create tailored leaflets recommending cervical cancer screening for each. Surveys on the cancer screening rates for HPV-vaccinated and unvaccinated women aged 20 and 21 have demonstrated that the rate was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in vaccinated (6.2%) than in unvaccinated women (3.1%). Next, interviews and Internet questionnaires clarified that there was a trend that vaccinated women have a better health consciousness than the unvaccinated ones, and that in unvaccinated women, their willingness to receive cervical cancer screening was significantly enhanced by the fear of developing cancer. Finally, in a prospective study, the increase in the screening rate for both vaccinated and unvaccinated groups after they read tailored leaflets, from 6.4% to 7.4% and from 3.9% to 5.1%, respectively, was not statistically significant compared to the groups provided with a standard reminder letter. Cervical cancer control measures might be enhanced by recommending cervical cancer screening in ways better tailored to HPV vaccination status. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Consciousness and Behavior towards Infectious Diseases and Vaccines)

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10 pages, 236 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heightened Willingness toward Pneumococcal Vaccination in the Elderly Population in Shenzhen, China: A Cross-Sectional Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Minyi Zhang, Hongbiao Chen, Fei Wu, Qiushuang Li, Qihui Lin, He Cao, Xiaofeng Zhou, Zihao Gu and Qing Chen

Vaccines 2021, 9(3), 212; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/vaccines9030212 - 03 Mar 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2666

Abstract

Background: Elderly population is considered at high risk for pneumococcal diseases. The pneumococcal vaccine coverage presents extremely low among elderly people in China. However, the serious event of COVID-19 drives interest in the pneumococcal vaccine, prompting us investigating the willingness to accept the [...] Read more.

Background: Elderly population is considered at high risk for pneumococcal diseases. The pneumococcal vaccine coverage presents extremely low among elderly people in China. However, the serious event of COVID-19 drives interest in the pneumococcal vaccine, prompting us investigating the willingness to accept the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) and influencing factors among people aged over 60 years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was employed using a self-administered questionnaire in Shenzhen City of China, elaborating the willingness toward PPSV23 in the elderly persons. Binomial logistic analyses were performed to estimate the influencing factors using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Among 15,066 respondents, 91.5% presented a positive attitude toward PPSV23. Logistic analyses suggested the influencing factors included knowledge about pneumonia (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.391, 95%CI 1.214–1.593), perception of the seriousness of pneumonia (aOR 1.437, 95%CI 1.230–1.680) and preventing way for pneumonia (aOR 1.639, 95%CI 1.440–1.865), worried about getting pneumonia (aOR 2.751, 95%CI 2.444–3.096), understanding vaccine policy (aOR 1.774, 95%CI 1.514–2.079), and influenza vaccine (aOR 3.516 and 95%CI 2.261–5.468) and PPSV23 histories (aOR 3.199, 95%CI 1.492–6.860). Conclusions: The interest surge in pneumococcal vaccine coincided with the COVID-19 outbreak, foreshadowing higher demand for pneumococcal vaccine in the near future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Consciousness and Behavior towards Infectious Diseases and Vaccines)

7 pages, 225 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Acceptability of COVID-19 Vaccination among Greek Health Professionals

by Dimitrios Papagiannis, George Rachiotis, Foteini Malli, Ioanna V. Papathanasiou, Ourania Kotsiou, Evangelos C. Fradelos, Konstantinos Giannakopoulos and Konstantinos I. Gourgoulianis

Vaccines 2021, 9(3), 200; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/vaccines9030200 - 28 Feb 2021

Cited by 91 | Viewed by 6820

Abstract

Health Care Workers are at the front line of the fight against Covid-19. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acceptability of vaccination against COVID-19 among health professionals (physicians, dentists, pharmacists) two weeks prior to the start of the Greek vaccination [...] Read more.

Health Care Workers are at the front line of the fight against Covid-19. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acceptability of vaccination against COVID-19 among health professionals (physicians, dentists, pharmacists) two weeks prior to the start of the Greek vaccination campaign against COVID-19. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted over the period 15–22 December 2020 in 340 health professionals in Central Greece. We found a high level of acceptance for COVID-19 vaccine (78.5%) and a high vaccination coverage for the influenza vaccine (74%). Age > 45 years (OR = 2.01; 95% C.I. = 2.01−4.3), absence of fear over vaccine safety (OR = 4.09; 95% C.I. = 1.36–12.3), and information received from the Greek public health authorities (OR = 11.14; 95% C.I. = 5.48–22.6), were factors independently associated with the likelihood of COVID-19 vaccination acceptance. Our study indicates a high level of the COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among physicians, dentists and pharmacists. Nevertheless, several interventions can be implemented to increase acceptance of vaccine among health-care workers (HCWs) and could be especially directed at younger and vaccine-hesitant health care workers due to fear of vaccine side-effects. Last, our results provide some evidence that receiving vaccine-related information from the Greek Center for Diseases Control (E.O.D.Y.) could reduce the drivers of hesitancy and enhance the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Consciousness and Behavior towards Infectious Diseases and Vaccines)

10 pages, 486 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Internet Survey of Awareness and Behavior Related to HPV Vaccination in Japan

by Risa Kudo, Masayuki Sekine, Manako Yamaguchi, Megumi Hara, Sharon J. B. Hanley, Yutaka Ueda, Asami Yagi, Sosuke Adachi, Megumi Kurosawa, Etsuko Miyagi and Takayuki Enomoto

Vaccines 2021, 9(2), 87; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/vaccines9020087 - 25 Jan 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2704

Abstract

Recommendations for HPV vaccines were suspended in 2013 due to unfounded safety fears in Japan. We aimed to clarify the differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated females in their awareness, knowledge, and behaviors toward cervical cancer, HPV vaccination and sex. Questionnaires were administered online [...] Read more.

Recommendations for HPV vaccines were suspended in 2013 due to unfounded safety fears in Japan. We aimed to clarify the differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated females in their awareness, knowledge, and behaviors toward cervical cancer, HPV vaccination and sex. Questionnaires were administered online to women aged 16 to 20. We conducted investigations for the following: awareness, knowledge, and actions for cervical cancer, HPV vaccination, and sexual activity, as well as items related to participants’ social background. The survey in 828 girls revealed three points. The first is that more than half of the surveyed Japanese girls had poor knowledge about cervical cancer screening, HPV, or HPV vaccines. The second is that those in the unvaccinated group had a particularly poor knowledge of the subject and tended to have higher sexual activity. The final is that only 0.5% of the girls experienced changes in awareness about sexual activity after vaccination. In conclusion, this is the first large-scale survey analyzing the association between HPV vaccination and sexual activity in Japanese girls. Not only do unvaccinated girls not benefit from vaccines, but they also tend to engage in high-risk sexual behavior, and thus it is even more important to provide information on the effectiveness of vaccines and the usefulness of cancer screening. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Consciousness and Behavior towards Infectious Diseases and Vaccines)

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12 pages, 1710 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Japanese Mothers’ Intention to HPV Vaccinate Their Daughters: How Has It Changed over Time Because of the Prolonged Suspension of the Governmental Recommendation?

by Asami Yagi, Yutaka Ueda, Tatsuo Masuda, Sayaka Ikeda, Takashi Miyatake, Satoshi Nakagawa, Kei Hirai, Tomio Nakayama, Etsuko Miyagi, Takayuki Enomoto and Tadashi Kimura

Vaccines 2020, 8(3), 502; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/vaccines8030502 - 03 Sep 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3437

Abstract

The trend for cervical cancer in younger women has been increasing recently in Japan. However, as a result of the suspension of governmental recommendation, Japan’s HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination rate for girls born since 2000 has dropped sharply. We conducted an internet survey [...] Read more.

The trend for cervical cancer in younger women has been increasing recently in Japan. However, as a result of the suspension of governmental recommendation, Japan’s HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination rate for girls born since 2000 has dropped sharply. We conducted an internet survey in December of 2019, 76 months after the suspension of recommendation, to verify the intention of mothers to inoculate their daughter under current circumstances and compared with our previous surveys and leaflet intervention effect. The rates of mothers who replied that they would “inoculate” were significantly higher at 9 and 23 months, but by 32 months after the suspension the rate was significantly lower (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.05, respectively). The rates of the mothers who replied they would not inoculate were significantly lower at 9 months and 23 months, but at 76 months was significantly higher (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.05, respectively). We found that intervention with a leaflet that could be used under the current suspension of the governmental recommendation did not increase the mothers’ intention to inoculate their daughters. A leaflet that actively encourages vaccination may increase the intent of vaccination. It is strongly recommended that the MHLW promptly resume its recommendations for HPV vaccination. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Consciousness and Behavior towards Infectious Diseases and Vaccines)

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Review

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16 pages, 733 KiB

Open AccessReview

Efforts at COVID-19 Vaccine Development: Challenges and Successes

by Azizul Haque and Anudeep B. Pant

Vaccines 2020, 8(4), 739; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/vaccines8040739 - 06 Dec 2020

Cited by 83 | Viewed by 24665

Abstract

The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus (CoV), throughout the globe poses a daunting public health emergency. Different preventive efforts have been undertaken in response to this global health predicament; amongst them, vaccine development is at the forefront. Several sophisticated designs have [...] Read more.

The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus (CoV), throughout the globe poses a daunting public health emergency. Different preventive efforts have been undertaken in response to this global health predicament; amongst them, vaccine development is at the forefront. Several sophisticated designs have been applied to create a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, and 44 candidates have already entered clinical trials. At present, it is unclear which ones will meet the objectives of efficiency and safety, though several vaccines are gearing up to obtain emergency approval in the U.S. and Europe. This manuscript discusses the advantages and disadvantages of various vaccine platforms and evaluates the safety and efficacy of vaccines in advance stages. Once a vaccine is developed, the next challenge will be acquisition, deployment, and uptake. The present manuscript describes these challenges in detail and proposes solutions to the vast array of translational challenges. It is evident from the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 that the virus will remain a threat to everybody as long as the virus is still circulating in a few. We need affordable vaccines that are produced in sufficient quantity for use in every corner of the world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Consciousness and Behavior towards Infectious Diseases and Vaccines)

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