Researchers seeking global partners to support participation in the survey, which will help inform global plans for rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and related resources.
Researchers seeking global partners to support participation in the survey, which will help inform global plans for rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and related resources
ROCKVILLE, MD and FAIRFAX, VA – Oct. 28, 2020 – US Pharmacopeia (USP) launched a new survey today to better understand the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices (KABP) of healthcare workers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) around COVID-19 vaccines, personal safety measures, and treatments, with support from the George Mason University College of Health and Human Services. Government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and private sector stakeholders working with physicians, nurses, pharmacists, community health workers and other frontline healthcare workers in LMICs are encouraged to contact USP Principal Investigator Dr. Nagesh N. Borse to support participation in the survey. Click here to download a toolkit to support the study.
One in seven cases of COVID-19 reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) is among healthcare workers, and in some countries, it is as much as 35 percent. Healthcare workers also play an important role in supporting and educating their community about COVID-19 and preventative measures. The survey will assess knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices related to a potential COVID-19 vaccine; personal safety measures such as wearing masks, eye protection, hand washing, and social distancing; and prevention and treatment options. Given the importance of sharing accurate information and combating misinformation about the pandemic, the survey will also assess the communication modalities and social media content accessed by frontline healthcare workers.
“This web- and mobile-based survey, made available in 60+ languages, will provide critical information needed to identify and design interventions to support healthcare workers and their communities in accelerating the introduction of a COVID-19 vaccine and other resources to prevent and treat COVID-19 in LMICs,” said Dr. Borse, USP’s Global Health Technical Program Director. “We know vaccine hesitancy remains a top global health threat. In LMICs, where adult and annual vaccination practices such as vaccination against flu are rare, it is critical to understand how healthcare workers will perceive a future COVID-19 vaccine, as well as how they will inform their communities about it and promote it.”
While supporting the needs of frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic is a priority, currently there is no data that helps define their challenges and barriers. The KABP survey will help fill that gap for frontline healthcare workers working to combat COVID-19 in LMICs and assess the barriers to effective risk communication, particularly across geographies (by country as well as by urban versus rural areas), types of healthcare workers, and other demographics. It will also provide information to help governments and NGOs plan for the rollout of future COVID-19 vaccines and other public health prevention measures.
“This research is critical to help in our global fight against COVID-19. Healthcare workers will be disseminating the vaccine, and the communities they serve look to them for guidance,” said Co-Principal Investigator Dr. Amira Roess, professor of Global Health and Epidemiology at George Mason University's College of Health and Human Services.
This survey builds on USP’s ongoing efforts to support future availability of quality-assured, effective COVID-19 vaccines and treatments around the world, including USP’s Trust Accelerated campaign. For more information, or to get involved, visit www.usp.org/covid-19 or contact USP directly.
Media Contacts:
Anne Bell: adb@usp.org
Office: +1-301-998-6785
Mobile: +1-240-701-3242
Michelle Thompson: mthomp7@gmu.edu
Phone: +1-703-993-3485
Study Contact:
Nagesh N. Borse: nagesh.borse@USP.org