VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL STUDENT RESEARCH REPORT THE IMPACT OF GENDER ON KNOWLEDGE OF COVID-19 VACCINES AND THE PREVENTION IN VIETNAMESE UNIVERSITY STUDEN
Literature Review
The importance of COVID-19 vaccine in repelling the epidemic
Vaccines are substances administered to individuals to stimulate antibody production and enhance disease resistance [1] Their significance in disease control and prevention is paramount Vietnam's effective epidemic management strategy included the strategic deployment of vaccines during its multiple outbreaks [2] Notably, COVID-19 vaccines have been instrumental in bolstering the immune system's defense against the virus, with nationwide vaccination campaigns commencing on March 8, 2021 [3].
4] Before March 8, 2021, COVID-19 infection in Vietnam was constantly increasing From January 23, 2020 to January 27, 2021, the number of COVID-19 cases has increased from 0 to 1549 cases with the number of deaths related to COVID-19 being
35, about 2,25% [5] With the serious outbreak in Da Nang, after discovering patient number 416 on July 25, 2020, the number of COVID-19 infections in Da Nang has increased rapidly [6] In just one month (as of August 27, 2020), the whole country has recorded 386 cases of infection in Da Nang alone, including 24 deaths [7] As of 6:00 p.m on March 7, the total number of cases nationwide is 1,585, and the number of new cases from January 27 to March 7 is 892 [8] After the state deployed vaccination nationwide on March 8, 2021, there has been a significant change in the number of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 As of April 25, there were 1,570 cases of COVID-19, the number of new cases from January 27 to March 8 was 910 cases, which just increased by about 18 cases compared to before [9] At the end of the 4th epidemic wave, the total number of deaths due to COVID-19 in Vietnam to date is 31,877, accounting for 1.9% of the total number of infections, a decrease of 0.35% compared to the first batch [10] From the data above, we can see that after nationwide deployed vaccination, the number of infections and deaths by COVID-19 has been reduced significantly, helping Vietnam transfer COVID-19 from group A to group B infectious disease [2] There are three most common vaccines in Vietnam [11] Firstly, AstraZeneca is the first vaccine imported to Vietnam [12] It is used for people more than 18 years old and people 16 or 17 years old in special situations, the protective effectiveness will increase up to 82% and reduce the risk of symptomatic infection with Alpha strain by 74.5% and Delta strain by 67% [11] Secondly, Pfizer/BioNTech produced by the United States, has been recommended by the World Health Organization to vaccinate children and has been used by many countries [13] Its protection is the highest, about 95% [11] Finally, Moderna also can be used for children, but it has less effect on protection than Pfizer, about 94,1% [11].
The importance of preventive measures in combating the epidemic
In 2022, esteemed health organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended various preventive measures to control the spread of diseases These measures have proven to be effective and crucial in disease management The WHO emphasized the importance of maintaining and enhancing infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, especially in healthcare facilities managing COVID-19 [14] These IPC measures include a comprehensive program or at least a dedicated and trained IPC focal point, early recognition of cases through screening and triage, rapid source control measures, and the application of standard and transmission-based precautions [15, 16] Vietnam emerged as one of the few countries that successfully controlled the COVID-19 outbreak
[17] This achievement was the result of a harmonious blend of various factors, with the government's policy system playing a pivotal role The Vietnamese government implemented a comprehensive set of preventive measures that were not only in line with the recommendations of esteemed global health organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), but also tailored to the country's specific needs and circumstances [18] The government's strategies encompassed the rapid development of diagnostic test kits, rigorous contact tracing, stringent infection prevention and control in healthcare settings, targeted lockdowns, and restrictions on mass gatherings, travel, and mobility [19] Additionally, clear, consistent, and creative public health messaging was employed to keep the public informed and engaged [20] These measures have garnered recognition from numerous foreign scholars and have significantly contributed to Vietnam's success in managing the COVID-19 pandemic [21-24]
Vietnam's COVID-19 response comprised several phases Phase 1, from January 23 to March 5, 2020, involved the detection of the initial 16 cases from China and the issuance of 190 emergency policy measures.
19, 2020) witnessed 69 cases and the release of 125 relevant policy documents [20] During Phase 3 (March 20 to April 21, 2020), 183 cases were recorded, and 125 policy documents were issued as the infection escalated in the country [20, 27] Phase 4 (April
22 to July 24, 2020) confirmed a total of 145 cases and saw the release of 280 policy documents [20] This rigorous control of the pandemic situation led to a significant milestone on July 25, 2020, when Vietnam marked a 100-day period of non- infectiousness [28, 29] This achievement underscores the effectiveness of the preventive measures implemented and the government’s ability to adapt its strategies based on the evolving situation.
The importance of university students having accurate knowledge about the COVID-19 vaccine and preventive measures
As of 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic is complicated Worldwide, by October 30, 2022, more than 635.3 million cases and over 6.59 million deaths have been recorded In Vietnam, over 11.5 million cases and more than 43,000 deaths have been recorded [30] Vietnam's Minister of Education and Training commented that Education is heavily affected by COVID-19 Nearly 20 million students have not been able to go to school for a long period Students with COVID-19 can experience severe symptoms, even death COVID-19 treatment also affects students' health Students have to study online, limiting communication leading to anxiety, stress, and depression The COVID-19 epidemic disrupts the learning process of students, affecting the quality of learning and exam results These cause many consequences and negatively affect physical, and mental health and student learning More than 70 thousand students were unable to graduate on time, affecting the supply of human resources Recognized the urgency of repelling the pandemic among these students to avoid affecting their health and learning psychology, to ensure the quality of education and qualifications of the future labor force, the Vietnamese government had many policies to support and direct education and disease prevention, especially Vaccination is considered the best measure to prevent the global COVID-19 pandemic [31]
Therefore, it is crucial for university students to have accurate knowledge about the COVID-19 vaccine and preventive measures Accurate knowledge helps students:
• Self-protection: Students need to understand the benefits and side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine to make informed vaccination decisions, avoiding being influenced by misinformation in maintaining their health
Vaccination plays a crucial role in protecting both the students and the community By being fully vaccinated, students contribute to reducing virus transmission, thereby protecting vulnerable individuals like the elderly, children, and those with underlying health conditions This creates a safer environment for the entire community.
• Creating a safe learning environment: Students have the right knowledge about the COVID-19 vaccine and prevention measures will contribute to creating a safe learning environment, helping students feel secure in learning and developing And raise community awareness about COVID-19 and promote effective epidemic prevention.
The influence of gender on knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines and
Gender plays an important role in various aspects of COVID-19, including disease incidence, treatment outcomes, and adherence to prevention measures Many studies have highlighted gender differences in the incidence of COVID-19, with evidence suggesting that men are more likely to contract the virus and experience severe consequences than women A study conducted during the early stages of the pandemic found that the death rate among men infected with COVID-19 was higher than among women, due to biological and behavioral differences between the sexes [32] One clinical study has shown that women exhibit reduced susceptibility to viral infections and produce fewer cytokines, which contribute to this difference [33] Moreover, studies have shown contrasts in Coronavirus treatment reaction among people, with suggestions for clinical administration systems [34]
Gender gaps extend to COVID-19 preventative strategies, with studies indicating that compliance and adherence vary by gender For example, an Italian study found that women are more likely than males to practice prophylactic measures such as social distancing, hand washing, and mask-wearing [35]
Gender disparities contribute to differences in vaccination awareness Studies have shown that men exhibit higher levels of vaccine hesitancy compared to women This disparity may stem from variations in health beliefs and risk perception between the sexes.
Understanding gender-specific knowledge gaps about COVID-19 vaccines and preventive measures among Vietnamese students is crucial for several reasons It provides insights into factors affecting vaccine acceptance and adherence to preventive measures among young adults, a vital demographic for herd immunity This knowledge enables tailoring of educational interventions and communication strategies to address misconceptions and promote accurate information dissemination Moreover, identifying disparities in knowledge guides public health initiatives aimed at enhancing vaccine literacy and community involvement in disease prevention efforts Ultimately, investigating the influence of gender on knowledge empowers evidence-based interventions to mitigate the pandemic's impact on public health.
Data & Methodology
- Study design: Cross-sectional study through an online survey
• Disagree to participate in the study
• Do not have Vietnamese nationality or live abroad
- Sample size : This study will be conducted using convenience sampling Based on the sample size formula for 1 ratio:
Z1-α/2= 2.17 for 97% confidence interval p: estimated percent of previous studies d: the desired deviation compared to p, here choose d = 0.03
Based on the rate of correct understanding of COVID-19 vaccines according to the study by Kumari A et al in 2021 (79.7%) (Kumari, 2021) Substituting numbers into the formula, we get the minimum sample size is n7 In fact, we collected 850 respondents After processing the data, we removed 45 invalid recordings Finally, we have totally of 805 respondents
- Questionnaire: The study will use a structured questionnaire to measure:
The online survey collected the following characteristics of the participants: country of origin, residence, age (fill in a number with the unit of the year), gender (male or female), department, allowance, and graduate level
Knowledge of vaccinated COVID-19 was built on the questionnaire in the study by Lin et al 2022 (Lin et al., 2020) The knowledge of the subjects receiving the COVID-19 vaccine; knowledge of booster doses of COVID-
19 vaccine; knowledge of antibody production after reciving the COVID-19 vaccine; and knowledge of the side effects after reciving the COVID-19 vaccine were included in this part
Preventive measures will be measured with The Preventive COVID-19 Infection Behaviors Scale (PCIBS) which consists of five items (i.e., (i) avoiding crowds as much as you can, (ii) keeping your house ventilated, (iii) sanitizing and cleaning your house, (iv) washing your hands as much as you can, and (v) wearing a face mask as much as you can [6]
To ensure questionnaire accuracy, the research group will conduct forward and reverse translation into the local language Additionally, Cronbach's alpha analysis will assess the questionnaire's reliability, providing confidence in the validity of the data collected.
- Data collection: To collect the data from the participants, we developed an online questionnaire using Google Forms Before filling out the questionnaire, informed consent will be obtained from all university students We stopped to collect the data after we had enough respondents based on the sample size
Data analysis was conducted using STATA 14 software Descriptive statistics described subject characteristics, while the chi-square test examined differences between males and females Statistical significance was set at p