COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage and Associated Factors among Students at Peleforo GON COULIBALY University in Korhogo (Côte d’Ivoire)
Tanoh Amany Serge Raymond N’Krumah
*
Biological Sciences Training and Research Unit, Peleforo GON COULIBALY University, Korhogo, P.O. Box 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire and Research and Development Department, Swiss Center for Scientific Research in Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan, P.O. Box 1303 Abidjan 01, Côte d’Ivoire.
Ellélé Aimé Marius Yapi
National Institute of Public Health, Abidjan, P.O. Box V14, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Yourou Guillaume Zamina Bi
National Institute of Public Health, Abidjan, P.O. Box V14, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Ollo Kambiré
Biological Sciences Training and Research Unit, Peleforo GON COULIBALY University, Korhogo, P.O. Box 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Issaka Tiembré
National Institute of Public Health, Abidjan, P.O. Box V14, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire and Medical Sciences Training and Research Unit, Félix HOUPHOUËT BOIGNY University, Abidjan, P.O. Box V 34, 01 Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected global public health. COVID-19 vaccination was introduced as a major public health measure during the pandemic, yet uptake remained limited in several settings.
Aim: The objective of this study was to assess COVID-19 vaccination coverage among students at Peleforo GON COULIBALY University (UPGC) in Korhogo during the pandemic.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study conducted from January to March 2024 among 401 students selected using a combination of convenience and simple random sampling methods. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses were performed using R software, with statistical significance set at 5%.
Results: COVID-19 vaccination coverage among UPGC students in Korhogo during the pandemic was 26.2% (95% CI: 21.9–30.8). The most commonly administered vaccines were Johnson & Johnson (43.8%) and AstraZeneca (24.8%), with a complete vaccination schedule of 55.2%. Multivariate analysis showed that COVID-19 vaccination was significantly associated with misinformation (rumours) about the COVID-19 vaccine (adjusted OR = 0.17; 95% CI: 0.10–0.28; p < 0.001), age above 25 years (adjusted OR = 2.24; 95% CI: 1.17–4.28; p = 0.014), and fear of COVID-19 during the pandemic (adjusted OR = 3.00; 95% CI: 1.16–9.46; p = 0.037).
Conclusion: The observed vaccination rate remained below the 70% target set by the WHO. It is important to strengthen information and awareness campaigns to increase vaccination coverage in universities and better prepare student populations for future health emergencies.
Keywords: COVID-19, vaccination coverage, vaccine uptake, vaccine hesitancy, university students