Willingness, beliefs, and barriers regarding the COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi Arabia: a multiregional cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread worldwide, and the vaccine remains the ultimate cornerstone to overcoming its long-term impact. Vaccine hesitancy might obstruct the effort to achieve herd immunity and eradicate the virus. We assessed Saudi Arabian individuals' willingness, beliefs, and barriers regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and their adherence to preventive measures during and after the pandemic. METHODS: A self-administered electronic validated questionnaire was distributed among the five major regions in Saudi Arabia between November and December 2020. The questionnaire addressed the sociodemographic data, beliefs, potential barriers, parents' acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination for their children, and adherence to protective measures during and after the pandemic. RESULTS: Of 8,056 participants, 4,218 (52.4%) of a non-representative sample were willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Being a young adult, male, having less than a high school degree, being a smoker, having a chronic disease, and having a history of seasonal influenza vaccine uptake were positive predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Hesitant participants reported concerns about vaccine side effects and safety as the main barriers to accepting the COVID-19 vaccine. Some refusers (26.1%) declared that they would reconsider vaccination only if the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine were reported by more studies. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed a promising willingness to accept the vaccine among the population, with positive beliefs and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination. However, a considerable proportion of the population was reluctant to accept the vaccine. Thus, publicly providing information about vaccine safety and implementing health education programs is crucial for increasing the public's confidence in the vaccine.

Measurement of the awareness of venous thromboembolism in the Saudi population.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) causes significant morbidity and mortality. International studies have suggested poor public awareness of VTE, with a few data from Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and awareness of VTE in the Saudi population. Awareness of other important diseases was also investigated to allow contextualization. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted throughout Saudi Arabia from April to June 2021. A nonprobability, purposive, social media-driven, snowballing sampling technique was used to distribute a validated online questionnaire to Saudi adults (aged over 18 years) from the general population. RESULTS: Of 1226 respondents, 214 were excluded as they were health-care professionals. The majority of the participants were unaware and unconcerned about VTE. They were more aware of other medical conditions such as hypertension. Immobility and old age were frequently recognized as risk factors for VTE. While less than half of the participants were aware that thrombosis is the cause of VTE, most participants correctly identified leg pain and tenderness as symptoms of deep venous thrombosis. The majority of the participants identified chest pain and breathlessness as symptoms of pulmonary embolism. However, leg paralysis and slow, shallow breathing were frequently identified as symptoms of VTE. The majority of subjects disagreed with the statement, "having a blood clot is not considered a medical emergency." Awareness of VTE varied significantly with age. CONCLUSION: In Saudi Arabia, the public awareness of VTE is poor. To improve outcomes, public health initiatives must increase awareness, introduce preventive measures, encourage early diagnosis, and ensure compliance with treatment.