{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,1]],"date-time":"2026-09-01T12:48:04Z","timestamp":1788266884946,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,7,26]],"date-time":"2021-07-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1627257600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p><jats:bold>Introduction:<\/jats:bold> The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a tremendous stress on economies and healthcare systems worldwide. Having a vaccine is one of the promising solutions. However, vaccination hesitancy is becoming a recognized future challenge. This study aims to evaluate the current vaccine hesitancy in a segment of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) general public and its associated factors.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Methods:<\/jats:bold> This was an online cross-sectional survey that took place from the 14<jats:sup>th<\/jats:sup> to the 19<jats:sup>th<\/jats:sup> of September 2020 across the UAE. The questionnaire asked the participants about their willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the future. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between vaccination willingness and the participants' sociodemographic factors, experiences and beliefs regarding COVID-19, and previous influenza vaccine uptake.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Results:<\/jats:bold> There was a total of 2,705 participants; 72.5% were females, and 69.8% were Emirati nationals. A total of 1,627 (60.1%) participants were willing to take the COVID-19 vaccine in the future. There were statistically significant associations between the following factors and vaccine acceptance: male gender, non-Emiratis, younger age group, residents of Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, having lesser educational attainment, perceived increased personal or public risk of contracting the disease [aOR = 1.71, 95% CI (1.35\u20132.17), <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.0001; aOR = 1.84, 95% CI (1.44\u20132.36), <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.0001, respectively], and increased perception of serious outcome from the disease. Conversely, vaccine hesitancy was associated with unemployment, not receiving the influenza vaccine within the past 2 years [aOR = 0.36, 95% CI (0.30\u20130.44), <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> &amp;lt; 0.0001], not believing in the seriousness of the COVID-19 situation or the vaccine's ability to control the pandemic, and not believing that the public authorities are handling the pandemic adequately. Having contracted the disease or knowing someone who has did not show a statistically significant association with vaccine acceptance. Vaccine safety, side effects, and the belief that one needs to develop immunity naturally were the top reasons for vaccination hesitancy.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Conclusion:<\/jats:bold> Given the level of vaccine hesitancy in the study population, this needs to be evaluated in a more representative sample of the whole population. If confirmed, this would signify the need for coordinated local and international initiatives to combat vaccine misinformation and reassure the public regarding vaccine safety and efficacy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2021.614499","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,7,26]],"date-time":"2021-07-26T06:44:28Z","timestamp":1627281868000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":28,"title":["COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in a Sample From the United Arab Emirates General Adult Population: A Cross-Sectional Survey, 2020"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Abdulaziz Hussain","family":"Albahri","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shahad Ahmed","family":"Alnaqbi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Asma Obaid","family":"Alshaali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shatha Ahmed","family":"Alnaqbi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shaikha Mohammad","family":"Shahdoor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,7,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"782","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2020.12839","article-title":"Pathophysiology, transmission, diagnosis, and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019. (COVID-19): a review","volume":"324","author":"Wiersinga","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA."},{"key":"B2","unstructured":"WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"937","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2020.00937","article-title":"A snapshot of the global race for vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"11","author":"Funk","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front Pharmacol."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"615","DOI":"10.1038\/s41577-020-00434-6","article-title":"Immunological considerations for COVID-19 vaccine strategies","volume":"20","author":"Jeyanathan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nat Rev Immunol."},{"key":"B5","unstructured":"BarringtonL\n            CornwellA\n          ReutersChina's Sinopharm begins late stage trial of COVID-19 vaccine in UAE2020"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"439","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2020.12461","article-title":"The development of COVID-19 vaccines: safeguards needed","volume":"324","author":"Lurie","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e11","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(19)30558-4","article-title":"The public health crisis of underimmunisation: a global plan of action","volume":"20","author":"Gostin","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet Infect Dis."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1763","DOI":"10.4161\/hv.24657","article-title":"Vaccine hesitancy: an overview","volume":"9","author":"Dub\u00e9","year":"2013","journal-title":"Hum Vaccin Immunother."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"325","DOI":"10.1007\/s10654-020-00634-3","article-title":"Vaccine confidence in the time of COVID-19","volume":"35","author":"Harrison","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eur J Epidemiol."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"769","DOI":"10.1016\/S1473-3099(20)30426-6","article-title":"A future vaccination campaign against COVID-19 at risk of vaccine hesitancy and politicisation","volume":"20","author":"COCONEL","year":"2020","journal-title":"Lancet Infect Dis."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"M20","DOI":"10.7326\/M20-3569","article-title":"Attitudes toward a potential SARS-CoV-2 vaccine: a survey of U.S. adults","volume":"4","author":"Fisher","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ann Intern Med."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"785","DOI":"10.1007\/s10654-020-00675-8","article-title":"Mistrust in biomedical research and vaccine hesitancy: the forefront challenge in the battle against COVID-19 in Italy","volume":"35","author":"Palamenghi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eur J Epidemiol."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100495","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eclinm.2020.100495","article-title":"Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in the US","volume":"26","author":"Malik","year":"2020","journal-title":"EClinicalMedicine."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e10199","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0010199","article-title":"Low acceptability of A\/H1N1 pandemic vaccination in French adult population: did public health policy fuel public dissonance?","volume":"5","author":"Schwarzinger","year":"2010","journal-title":"PLoS ONE."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2334-10-99","article-title":"Why do I need it? I am not at risk! Public perceptions towards the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccine","volume":"10","author":"Seale","year":"2010","journal-title":"BMC Infect Dis."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"279","DOI":"10.1111\/1753-6405.13004","article-title":"Why is influenza vaccine uptake so low among Aboriginal adults?","volume":"24","author":"Menzies","year":"2020","journal-title":"Aust N Z J Public Health."},{"key":"B17","unstructured":"TysonA\n            JohnsonC\n            FunkC\n          US public now divided over whether to get the COVID-19 vaccine: concerns about the safety and effectiveness of possible vaccine, pace of approval process. Pew Research Center2020"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"E482","DOI":"10.3390\/vaccines8030482","article-title":"Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination during the COVID-19 Pandemic in China","volume":"8","author":"Wang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Vaccines."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"113638","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2020.113638","article-title":"Correlates and disparities of intention to vaccinate against COVID-19","volume":"272","author":"Callaghan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Soc Sci Med"},{"key":"B20","volume-title":"The Public's Role in COVID-19 Vaccination: Planning Recommendations Informed by Design Thinking and the Social, Behavioral, and Communication Sciences","author":"Schoch-Spana","year":"2020"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"381","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2020.00381","article-title":"Acceptance of a COVID-19 vaccine in Southeast Asia: a cross-sectional study in Indonesia","volume":"8","author":"Harapan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front Public Health."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3022010","DOI":"10.17061\/phrp3022010","article-title":"Enhancing global health communication during a crisis: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"30","author":"Ratzan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Public Health Res Pract."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"703","DOI":"10.1093\/cid\/ciaa433","article-title":"The VACCINES Act: deciphering vaccine hesitancy in the time of COVID-19","volume":"71","author":"McAteer","year":"2020","journal-title":"Clin Infect Dis."},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"977","DOI":"10.1007\/s10198-020-01208-6","article-title":"Once we have it, will we use it? A European survey on willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19","volume":"21","author":"Neumann-B\u00f6hme","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eur J Health Econ."},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2458","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2020.8711","article-title":"Planning for a COVID-19 vaccination program","volume":"323","author":"DeRoo","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"113356","DOI":"10.1016\/j.socscimed.2020.113356","article-title":"Conspiracy theories as barriers to controlling the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S","volume":"14","author":"Romer","year":"2020","journal-title":"Soc Sci Med."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5893","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17165893","article-title":"Key guidelines in developing a pre-emptive COVID-19 vaccination uptake promotion strategy","volume":"17","author":"French","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health."},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4180","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vaccine.2015.04.040","article-title":"Strategies for addressing vaccine hesitancy\u2014a systematic review","volume":"33","author":"Jarrett","year":"2015","journal-title":"Vaccine."},{"key":"B29","unstructured":"UAE Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Public Health"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2021.614499\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2021,7,26]],"date-time":"2021-07-26T06:44:34Z","timestamp":1627281874000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2021.614499\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,7,26]]},"references-count":29,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpubh.2021.614499"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpubh.2021.614499","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2565"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2565","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,7,26]]},"article-number":"614499"}}