{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"institution":[{"name":"medRxiv"}],"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,16]],"date-time":"2026-01-16T13:42:47Z","timestamp":1768570967695,"version":"3.49.0"},"posted":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,18]]},"group-title":"Public and Global Health","reference-count":32,"publisher":"openRxiv","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,18]],"date-time":"2025-10-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1760745600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,31]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Introduction and Objectives<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Knowledge, perceptions, and acceptance of vaccines play a role in evaluating the progress of past immunization programs and planning for future pandemics. The study assessed the knowledge, perceptions, and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines among pregnant women, HCWs, and policymakers in Nigeria and identified the barriers and enablers to the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines and future ones.<\/jats:p>\n                <\/jats:sec>\n                <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The study adopted qualitative methods of qualitative collection, comprising focus group discussion (FGD) with pregnant women-who were HIV positive and negative- and key informant interviews (KII) with healthcare workers (HCWs) and policymakers in Plateau State, Nigeria. The sample comprised forty pregnant women, five HCWs and five policymakers. Data was managed using Dedoose (version 9.0) and analyzed thematically.<\/jats:p>\n                <\/jats:sec>\n                <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Although all sub-groups acknowledged the importance of vaccination, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was identified amongst a significant proportion of pregnant women. This was because of safety concerns, misinformation and fear of side effects. HCWs were identified as key influencers of vaccine acceptance during pregnancy. Also, family and friends, personal beliefs, and awareness were found to be influencers of vaccination, while religious and cultural beliefs were identified as barriers. Policymakers and HCWs believe that there is a need for education and awareness to address misinformation and improve the trust in vaccine safety and the health system among pregnant women.<\/jats:p>\n                <\/jats:sec>\n                <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The participants were knowledgeable of vaccines. However, pregnant women expressed skepticism about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines. Thus, addressing misinformation through public health awareness programs is important while leveraging the influence of the health workforce, community, and religious leaders in promoting vaccine acceptance.<\/jats:p>\n                <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1101\/2025.10.16.25338166","type":"posted-content","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,18]],"date-time":"2025-10-18T13:50:11Z","timestamp":1760795411000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Knowledge, perceptions and acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccine in Plateau States, Nigeria: A Qualitative Study"],"prefix":"10.64898","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1986-3976","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sophia","family":"Osawe","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-7886-2850","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sussan","family":"Israel-Isah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Timothy","family":"Adejoh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4263-1233","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tunde A.","family":"Alabi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7957-8053","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Felicia","family":"Okolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9733-9112","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sikiratu","family":"Babamale","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9703-8264","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adam","family":"Abdullahi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Alash\u2019le","family":"Abimiku","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"54368","reference":[{"key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jri.2020.103122"},{"issue":"5","key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e294","DOI":"10.1016\/S2352-3018(21)00070-9","article-title":"Overview of SARS-CoV-2 infection in adults living with HIV","volume":"8","year":"2021","journal-title":"The Lancet HIV"},{"issue":"11","key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5528","DOI":"10.1097\/MS9.0000000000001310","article-title":"Two years of COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria: a review of the current situation of the pandemic: a literature review","volume":"85","year":"2023","journal-title":"Annals of Medicine & Surgery"},{"key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.4","unstructured":"Clements B. COVID-19 increases mortality rate among pregnant women [Internet]. 2021. Available from: https:\/\/newsroom.uw.edu\/news-releases\/covid-19-increases-mortality-rate-among-pregnant-women"},{"key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.34763\/jmotherandchild.20212502.d-21-00017"},{"key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.6","unstructured":"Vanguard. COVID-19: Nigeria has met 70% vaccination target. 2023; Available from: https:\/\/www.vanguardngr.com\/2023\/11\/covid-19-nigeria-has-met-70-vaccination-target-official\/"},{"key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.7","unstructured":"WHO. who.int. 2021. Fighting misinformation in the time of COVID-19, one click at a time. Available from: https:\/\/www.who.int\/news-room\/feature-stories\/detail\/fighting-misinformation-in-the-time-of-covid-19-one-click-at-a-time"},{"key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-022-14972-2"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1950504","DOI":"10.1080\/21645515.2021.1950504","article-title":"COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: misinformation and perceptions of vaccine safety","volume":"18","year":"2022","journal-title":"Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics"},{"issue":"11","key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1866","DOI":"10.3390\/vaccines10111866","article-title":"Evaluation of Conspiracy Beliefs, Vaccine Hesitancy, and Willingness to Pay towards COVID-19 Vaccines in Six Countries from Asian and African Regions: A Large Multinational Analysis","volume":"10","year":"2022","journal-title":"Vaccines"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1186\/s41256-022-00255-1","article-title":"COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Africa: a scoping review","volume":"7","year":"2022","journal-title":"glob health res policy"},{"issue":"Suppl 1","key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.12","first-page":"8","article-title":"Maternal knowledge, attitude, and perception about childhood routine immunization program in Atakumosa-west Local Government Area, Osun State, Southwestern Nigeria","volume":"40","year":"2021","journal-title":"Pan Afr Med J"},{"issue":"1","key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.13","first-page":"89","article-title":"Knowledge, Attitude and Barriers towards Children Immunization among Women in Selected Rural Primary Health Centres","volume":"23","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ife PsychologIA"},{"issue":"2","key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.14","first-page":"1","article-title":"KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF HEPATITIS B PREVENTION AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN WESLEY GUILD HOSPITAL, ILESA, OSUN STATE NIGERIA","volume":"4","year":"2018","journal-title":"IJEAHIDI"},{"issue":"11","key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1697","DOI":"10.3390\/vaccines11111697","article-title":"COVID-19 Vaccine Knowledge, Attitude, Acceptance and Hesitancy among Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Systematic Review of Hospital-Based Studies","volume":"11","year":"2023","journal-title":"Vaccines"},{"issue":"11","key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2344","DOI":"10.3390\/v14112344","article-title":"COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinics in Pakistan: A Multicentric, Prospective, Survey-Based Study","volume":"14","year":"2022","journal-title":"Viruses"},{"key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.17","first-page":"100240","article-title":"Drivers of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among women of childbearing age in Victoria, Australia: A descriptive qualitative study","volume":"12","year":"2022","journal-title":"Vaccine: X"},{"key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1221788","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2023.1221788","article-title":"COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among pregnant women: a hospital-based cross-sectional study in Sudan","volume":"11","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"issue":"4","key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"284","DOI":"10.4314\/gmj.v57i4.5","article-title":"An assessment of COVID-19 vaccine knowledge and acceptability among healthcare workers in a Nigerian tertiary hospital","volume":"57","year":"2023","journal-title":"Ghana Med J"},{"issue":"11","key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1930","DOI":"10.3390\/vaccines10111930","article-title":"Perceptions of COVID-19 Maternal Vaccination among Pregnant Women and Healthcare Workers and Factors That Influence Vaccine Acceptance: A Cross-Sectional Study in Barcelona, Spain","volume":"10","year":"2022","journal-title":"Vaccines"},{"key":"2025110323000830000_2025.10.16.25338166v2.21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Omunakwe HE , Okuku M , Amadi SC , Dan-Jumbo A . 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