Peer-reviewed article
Predictors of COVID-19 vaccination status among youth in eThekwini, South Africa: results from the AYAZAZI RIGHTS study.
Janan J Dietrich, Tatiana E Pakhomova, C Andrew Basham, Kalysha Closson, Bongiwe Zulu et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined what factors influence whether young people aged 18-24 in eThekwini, South Africa received a COVID-19 vaccine. Using survey data from 1,383 youth collected between December 2021 and May 2022, researchers identified that older age, living with seniors, and knowing people hospitalised or who died from COVID-19 were the strongest predictors of vaccination. The study found that 37.9% of participants had been vaccinated, with some predictors varying between men and women, such as employment and relationship status.
Key points
- Only 37.9% of surveyed youth aged 18-24 had received a COVID-19 vaccine
- Older age within the youth group, living with seniors, and personal proximity to severe COVID-19 outcomes were consistent predictors of vaccination across genders
- Among women, having children predicted vaccination; among men, employment and relationship status were important factors
- Gender-specific predictors of vaccination status were identified, suggesting need for differentiated public health approaches
- The study highlights the importance of addressing vaccine hesitancy related to mistrust and misinformation for future immunisation programmes
Limitations
This is a cross-sectional study, so it identifies associations but cannot establish causation or determine whether factors caused vaccination decisions or resulted from them. The online survey methodology may have excluded youth without internet access or digital literacy, potentially biasing the sample.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Understanding which factors impact vaccine uptake is important for supporting ongoing and future vaccine programmes among youth. OBJECTIVE: This study examined predictors of COVID-19 vaccination uptake among South African youth in the eThekwini District. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from an online survey (AYAZAZI RIGHTS: December 2021-May 2022) of youth aged 18-24 in the eThekwini district, South Africa, were analyzed using a gender-stratified logistic regression of vaccination status on candidate predictors of interest (k = 14). A full model with backwards selection using Akaike's Information Criterion was employed to remove predictors that did not add to the model's explanatory power. RESULTS: Of 1383 participants, 54% were women, with a median sample age of 21.8 years. Overall, 37.9% (n = 525) of participants had received a COVID-19 vaccine, 58.6% of whom were women. In this cross‑sectional, observational analysis, the most consistent predictors of vaccination status were older age, living with seniors in the home, and personal proximity to severe pandemic outcomes, specifically knowing people who had been hospitalized or died due to COVID-19. Gender‑specific predictors included ethnicity, having children for women, employment, and relationship status. CONCLUSION: Socio-demographic as well as community factors predicted receiving a COVID-19 vaccination, varying by gender. Better understanding of modifiable factors to support vaccine uptake, and curbing vaccine hesitancy related to mistrust and misinformation, will help support South Africa's immunization programs among youth, and can help inform targeted, inclusive, and equity-oriented public-health strategies.