KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND DETERMINANTS OF COVID-19 VACCINE UPTAKE AND HESITANCY AMONG RURAL DWELLERS IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS AND FUTURE IMMUNIZATION PROGRAMS

The global COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical importance of effective vaccination campaigns for public health. Despite the acute phase of the COVID-19 crisis having subsided, the insights gained from studying vaccine acceptance and hesitancy remain profoundly relevant for strengthening health systems, improving routine immunization programs, and enhancing preparedness for future epidemics or emerging infectious diseases This study investigated the knowledge, attitude, and willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among rural dwellers in Benue State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey involving 380 participants was conducted. The findings revealed that regarding COVID-19 vaccines, 59.2% of respondents demonstrated good knowledge, while 40.8% had poor knowledge, 40.5% exhibited a positive attitude whereas 59.5% held a negative attitude. Only 26.1% expressed willingness to accept vaccination without hesitation, with a high perception that vaccines might have side effects (74.7%), is not safe (60.8%) and that not everyone should receive vaccination. Bivariate logistic analysis indicated that attitude was a significant predictor of vaccine acceptance β=0.058 (95% CI: 0.029-0.116, p < 0.0001). These results highlight the need for targeted health education strategies to improve vaccine acceptance in rural Nigerian communities.