RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BIAS CONSPIRACY THEORY AND UPTAKE OF COVID 19 VACCINES BY FRONTLINE HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN NORTH WEST ZONE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between bias conspiracy theory and uptake of covid-19 vaccine by frontline health care workers in North West Zone Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of the study, 2 research questions were raised and 2 hypotheses were formulated to guide the conduct of the study. Descriptive design of survey type was used for the study. The population for the study was 74,245 which comprised all frontline healthcare workers providing services in public health facilities across North Western States, Nigeria. The total of 600 respondents was selected using multistage sampling procedure. Researchers developed questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. The instrument was validated by three experts and pilot study was conducted in which reliability index of 0.90 and 0.75 were obtained. A total of 600 copies of the questionnaires were administered with the help of 16 trained research assistants out of which only 588 were duly completed, returned and used for the analysis. Frequency count and percentage were used to organized demographic characteristics of the respondents while Pearson Products Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMC) was used to test hypothesis 1 and regression analysis was used to test hypothesis 2 and all test were performed at 0.05 alpha levels. The findings indicated that there is relationship between bias conspiracy theory and uptake of covid-19 vaccine r = 0.119, df 2,586 (P<0.05). Frontline health care workers demographic variables have no significant relationship with uptake of covid 19 vaccine f(4,583) = 1.728 P> 0.05. It is therefore recommended among others that government should provide more covid-19 vaccine across all health facilities so as to stimulate uptake by all frontline healthcare workers irrespective of their demographic characteristics (age, gender, educational status and location), and conspiracy belief in the North West States of Nigeria.