COVID Vaccine Acceptance, Trust in Health Authorities Increases in Rural Assam

Awareness created by The Quint, Radio Brahmaputra and Boat clinics was one of the reasons that helped build trust.

The survey showed a positive change in perception towards the COVID-19 vaccination drive.

(Photo Courtesy: Radio Brahmaputra)

Vaccine acceptance has increased, with almost 100 percent of the surveyed population vaccinated against COVID-19, across 13 districts of rural Assam, as per a survey conducted by Brahmaputra Community Radio Station (BCRS) and Boat Clinic Intervention Island Villages for The Quint.

The survey was conducted between 28 February to 30 March with a total of 540 participants (311 males and 229 females), to measure the impact of a yearlong project aimed at fighting mis/disinformation related to COVID-19.

The survey was conducted between 28 February to 30 March with a total of 540 participants.

(Photo Courtesy: Radio Brahmaputra)

A majority of the surveyed population agreed that the awareness created through the content shared by the three organisations played a role in reducing vaccine hesitancy and quelling the rumours.

Nearly 90 percent of the surveyed population believes that vaccination will help end the pandemic.

94% Believe Vaccine Will Protect Them Against COVID-19

The survey showed a positive change in perception towards the COVID-19 vaccine compared to the previous survey that was conducted between mid-June to July 2021.

In the baseline survey, conducted in 202 villages in 20 districts, 84 percent of people wanted to take the COVID-19 vaccine, and 76 percent believed that the shot would provide protection against the virus.

In the endline survey, we found that 100 percent of the surveyed population was vaccinated against COVID-19, and 94.4 percent believed that the vaccine would protect people during the pandemic.

Close to 97 percent didn't believe that COVID-19 was a conspiracy by the state, which implied that the trust in the government was high.

Our survey found that word of mouth was the primary source of misinformation that people were exposed to. It also showed that radio was the most trusted source of information in the surveyed area.

However, the survey also showed that most people didn't believe in the rumours making the rounds in their villages.

When asked the reason for the same, people said that it was due to the content created and shared by The Quint, Boat Clinic and Radio Brahmaputra that helped dismiss the rumours and increase vaccine acceptance.

Over 98 percent of the surveyed people said that they would encourage people others to get vaccinated and 98.7 percent of people said that they will get their children vaccinated.

When it came to taking a booster dose, people also showed acceptance, with over 95 percent saying that they will take it.

Willingness to take the vaccine was pretty high in the first survey, and it was found that fact-checks and explainers and other content in text, video and audio form helped inform and educate people in these parts of Assam.

In contrast, vaccine acceptance was substantially low in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, as per a survey conducted by Video Volunteers in partnership with The Quint.

Vaccine acceptance is increased in those parts as well and our endline survey found that nearly 89 percent of the surveyed population had been fully-vaccinated against COVID-19.

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