GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM

KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE COVID-19 VACCINATION:

THE CASE OF DIPLOMA TWO WEEKEND STUDENTS OF GHANA

INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM

BY

VERA THANDIWE DLAMINI

DCS22179

A PROJECT WORK SUBMITTED TO THE GHANA INSTITUTE OF

JOURNALISM IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR

THE AWARD OF DIPLOMA IN COMMUNICATION

JANUARY, 2023

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 DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this research is a result of my own original research and that, no

part of it has been presented for another degree in this university or any other higher

education institute. I further declare that all the sources that I have used or quoted

have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references.

VERA THANDIWE DLAMINI DCS22179 5/1/2023

Student Index number Signature Date

CERFIFICATION BY SUPERVISOR

This Project Work has been prepared and presented under my supervision according

to the guidelines for supervision and formatting of Project Work laid down by the

Ghana Institute of Journalism.

Supervisor EWURADJOA SANGMUAH-TABBICCA

Signature Date

……………………………. …………………………….

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 ABSTRACT

The vaccination exercise for the novelty of the Covid-19 disease has not been embraced

by all and sundry. This study therefore sought to examine the knowledge and attitude

of selected students at the Ghana Institute of Journalism on COVID-19 vaccination and

to make recommendations to enhance public education. This qualitative study

employed purposive sampling to select students from the Diploma Two Weekend class

of the institute. Semi structured interviews were used to collect data and the data was

analysed using thematic analysis. Generally, the study found that the students had

ample knowledge about the Covid 19 vaccination program. However, a few of the

respondents (three) were of the view that victims would naturally recover and there was

no need for government to commit huge resources towards the vaccination exercise.

Based on the findings, the study recommends that a comprehensive COVID-19

vaccination education program through the Ministry of Health as well as the

participation of celebrities in the education program on radios, television, and social

media be undertaken.

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 DEDICATION

To my family, friends and all the volunteers of The VTD Foundation Ghana for all the

words of encouragement and motivation throughout the process.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This project would not have been possible without the support of many people. Many

thanks to my supervisor, Madam Ewuradjoa Sangmuah -Tabbicca who read my

numerous revisions and helped make some sense out of the confusion.

Special thanks to all the lecturers and management of the Ghana Institute of Journalism

for granting me the opportunity to pursue my academic aspirations of furthering my

education at their prestigious institution.

A heartfelt gratitude to my loving mother Madam Matilda Aryeetey and Ms. Valerie

Owusu whose words of encouragement and push for tenacity rings in my ears. I also,

thank all the volunteers of The VTD Foundation Ghana, for all the words of

encouragement and motivation throughout the process.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Content Page
DECLARATION ii

ABSTRACT iii

DEDICATION iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT v

LIST OF FIGURES viii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ix

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Background of the study 1

1.2 Statement of Problem 5

1.3 Research Objectives 6

1.4 Research Questions 6

1.5 Significance of the study 6

1.6 Scope of the study 6

1.7 Organization of the Study 6

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 7

2.0 Introduction 7

2.1 Theoretical framework 7

2.2 Conceptual review 9

2.2.1 Key Concepts in Health Belief Model 9

2.5 Empirical Review 10

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 21

3.0 Introduction 21

3.1 Research Design 21

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3.1.1 Research Approach 21

3.2 Study Population 22

3.3 Sampling Method 22

3.3.1 Sources of Data 22

3.4 Data Collection Technique and Instruments 23

3.5 Data Handling and Analysis 23

3.6 Ethical Consideration 24

3.7 Conclusion 24

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF DATA AND DISCUSSION OF

FINDINGS 25

4.1 Introduction 25

4.2. Profile of respondents 25

4.2.2 Knowledge of the Covid-19 vaccination 25

4.2.3 Students’ attitude towards Covid-19 vaccination 29

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND

CONCLUSION 33

5.1 Introduction 33

5.2 Summary of findings 33

5.3 Conclusion 34

5.4 Study Limitation 34

5.5 Recommendations 35

REFERENCES 36

APPENDIX A 42

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 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page

Figure 1: Health Belief Model 8

viii
 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

CDC……………………………..……Centers for Disease Control

GIJ ……………………………………… Ghana Institute of Journalism

HBM…………….……………….………Health Believe Model

HCW……………………………………Health Care Workers

KAP………………………………Knowledge, Attitude and Practices

VTD FOUNDATION………………Vera Thandiwe Dlamini Foundation

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

The new coronavirus emerged from Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and swiftly

became the greatest global public health hazard. Covid-19 led to the loss of jobs, death,

and financial loss due to the measure adopted by various governments to curtail its

spread. (Kalogiannidis, Chatzitheodoridis, & Kontsas, 2020). In the midst of the

pandemic, the media played a vital role in content dissemination about Covid-19. The

media plays a vital role in the dissemination of information to the public. The

emergence of online media also fastened and broadened the horizon within which

information can reach citizens or individuals outside the geographical area. The content

of the information that is being distributed is as important as the medium is in reaching

the audience.

The management of health-related information has traditionally depended heavily on

the role of the media and social networks. Social media and other types of media were

used to spread information about the Covid-19, some of which were inaccurate. Health-

related issues dissemination like all other types of news requires a rigorous information

check before they are to be made available to the public. This information directly

impacts the people and sometimes they intend to react to the news without verification.

A few weeks after the pandemic began, general commentary on infectious-respiratory

issues was found in the media (Amar, Avni, O’Rourke, & Michael, 2022). It appeared

that the whole scientific world was making statements and publishing publications

about COVID-19 as though they were the primary authorities on the disease. This was

largely due to the thirst for information during a pandemic like Covid-19. People were

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so overwhelmed by this flood of information that they did not have time to understand

it correctly. This accentuated the misinformation.

Misinformation which is any information that is false or misleading and not supported

by scientific data (Zhao 2020); is frequently attributed to sources having a poor

reputation for journalism (Grinberg 2019). These sources frequently support outlandish

beliefs and conspiracy theories (Jamison, Broniatowski, Dredze & Sangraula, 2020)

At the beginning of the pandemic, the medical community also played a role in making

the situation even more confusing by giving, in some cases, inaccurate and sometimes

contradictory indications of COVID-19 (Kalogiannidis, Chatzitheodoridis, & Kontsas,

2020).

Doctors were widely present in the media, often expressing ideas that were not

supported by scientific facts out of a want to be seen rather than a need to give the right

advice.

Numerous media arguments have taken place about the advocates of opposing

viewpoints, specifically those who propagated scary information and others with

positive theories which backed the COVID-19's non-hazardous nature (Alhassah,

2020). Personal safety equipment (PPE) shortages and disproportionate price increases

for these products were partially caused by the alarmist tone of some experts, which in

some circumstances prompted a rush to buy PPE and alcoholic detergents.

Lee (2020) and Batani (2021) asserted that a significant amount of false information is

spread on social media during the COVID-19 outbreak. Although falsehoods and

common misconceptions have a long history in politics, misinformation on social media

has been a significant cause of concern in recent years. Flynn (2017), Lazer (2018)

stated that, pundits, that offers to counteract false information are "not succeeding" and

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that false information, in general, is "becoming impregnable" (Ghosh & Scott, 2018).

Some of the false information included claims that plants and alcohol may be used to

treat Covid-19. These also raised a real deal of concerns and debate in the media space

in want of answers.

Vaccines are a form of defense and as a result, COVID-19 vaccines have been made

available as a way to reduce transmission so that the world can transition towards a

post-COVID-19 era. The general public lacks knowledge about the fundamental

concepts underlying vaccine development from phases one, two, and three trials that

consider immunogenicity, safety, and efficacy issues, hence contributing to the high

level of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty associated with vaccine acceptance and uptake.

Furthermore, although information from a variety of sources, including Health care

experts, family, friends, books, newspapers, magazines, educational pamphlets, radio,

television, and pharmaceutical commercials to contribute to our knowledge of health

and wellbeing, some people who are looking for health information completely avoid

search engines and go straight to online websites.

Whether consumers choose to use credible websites like the website of the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or for instance, an unreliable blog, will

determine the caliber of direct sources. (Vosoughi & Aral, 2018). The prevalence of

online health misinformation, which is defined as "a health-related assertion of fact that

is now erroneous due to a lack of scientific proof has grown significantly since the

COVID-19 epidemic (Chou et al., 2018). In a study on fake news, vaccine reluctance,

and the COVID-19 pandemic's negative effects on the present health crisis in Brazil,

Galiardi, Freire, Minayo and Fagundes (2020) employed a quantitative research

strategy. Their study revealed that the main channels for spreading and disseminating

myths and false information about the COVID-19 vaccine were found to be Instagram,

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Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp platforms. The article concluded that the wide

spread of false information concerning the Covid-19 vaccine, discouraged some

Brazilians from participating in social exclusion and vaccination efforts. 2021). From

the beginning of the pandemic, there were various beliefs that the causal organisms of

the virus would not thrive because of possibly the geographical circumstances (such as

the continent's warm temperatures). Another misleading information was that Africans

may have strong immune systems to battle the virus. The COVID-19 vaccination has

been categorized by lots of information which have no scientific backing and has caused

most people specifically Ghanaian and African at large to resist the COVID-19

vaccination. Lee, Sun, Jang and Connelly examined misinformation about COVID-19

vaccines and vaccine hesitancy. The study used a mixed-method approach, looked at

the different kinds of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation that are spread among the

American population and how accuracy in the knowledge of COVID-19 vaccinations

is associated with vaccine reluctance and behavioural intention. The results indicate

that being exposed to false information and accepting it as fact may raise vaccine

reluctance and decrease behavioural intention to get immunized. It is crucial to

comprehend how our interaction with health misinformation has changed as a result of

the internet, as well as whether people are capable of doing so. This is because

inaccurate health information has particularly negative effects on people's quality of

life and even their chance of death. (Swire-Thompson & Lazer, 2020).

According to information provided by UNICEF in April 2022, the COVID-19 vaccine

has been made available in Ghana since March 2021 and has since been distributed in

stages by the Ghana Health Service's vaccination schedule. Ghana received more than

800,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as of May 2021 (Alhassan et. al, 2021). The

concerns of misinformation and disinformation were critical in the government efforts

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and public life in difficult times, especially with the anticipated prolonged COVID-19

vaccine and vaccination rollout. According to recent studies, a lower willingness to get

the COVID-19 vaccine and immunization was consistently correlated with a higher

acceptance of the COVID-19 fake news. (Roozenbeek & Cahapay, 2022). Vosoughi

(2020) and Trevors, (2021) detected 126,000 rumours that were disseminated by over

3 million users on Twitter. False information spread substantially more quickly, deeply,

widely, and quickly than accurate information. Hence the study would try to establish

the sources of information on the Covid-19 vaccination and its accuracy. Using the

health belief model, this study examines the knowledge and attitudes of student of GIJ

on the covid-19 vaccination. The health belief model would aid in analysing based on

the knowledge of the respondents’ attitudes towards the vaccine.

1.2 Statement of Problem

A significant contributor to the hesitation around vaccination uptake in many regions

has been identified as the record development of the COVID-19 vaccine in particular.

(Alhassan, Owusu-Agyei, Ansah, & Gyapong, 2021). Hence the vaccine has been met

with reluctance, anxiety, and safety fears as well as conspiracy theories that are anti-

vaccination, and seriously undermine acceptability and readiness to embrace the

vaccine. (Alhassan et.al, When misinformation offers a realistic interpretation that

makes more sense than the facts, misinformation can be more persuasive than

information (Reyna, 2021). Ghana has almost internet 15 million internet users, hence

the Covid 19 vaccine hesitation has largely been fueled by online mis- and dis-

information (UNICEF, 2022). Amidst these developments, what is the knowledge and

attitudes selected students of Ghana Institute of Journalism on Covid-19 vaccination?

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1.3 Research Objectives

The main objective of the study was to analyze knowledge and attitudes of students of

GIJ on Covid-19 vaccination in Ghana. Specifically, the study sought to:

1.Examine the knowledge on Covid-19 vaccination

2.Examine the attitudes towards Covid-19 vaccination

3.Make recommendation to enhance public education.

1.4 Research Questions

1.What is the knowledge of students about the Covid-19 vaccination?

2.What is the attitude of student towards Covid-19 vaccination?

1.5 Significance of the study

This study would help develop strategies for better information dissemination on

Covid-19 vaccination and add to the literature on the Covid-19 vaccination.

1.6 Scope of the study

The study focused on the knowledge and attitude towards on the Covid-19 vaccination

among Diploma Two Weekend students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism.

1.7 Organization of the Study

This study is in five chapters. The first chapter provides an introduction, a statement of

the problem, objectives and research questions, the significance, scope, and the

organization of the study. Chapter two provides a review of related theories, concepts,

and empirical studies. Chapter three covers the research methodology which includes,

the research design, population and sampling techniques, data analysis, and research

limitations. Chapter four discusses and analyses key findings. Chapter five summarizes

the findings, draws conclusions from the results, and makes recommendations.

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

This chapter provides a review of related theories, concepts, and empirical studies.

2.1 Theoretical framework

The Health Belief Model, is reviewed under this section. The Health Belief Model

(HBM) was developed in the 1950s by social psychologists Irwin M. Rosenstock,

Godfrey M. Hochbaum, S. Stephen Kegeles, and Howard Leventhal. The HBM

explains and predicts health-related behaviors, particularly health-care utilization (Janz

& Marshall 1984). It additionally, to establish to why people do and do not participate

in disease screening and disease preventive measures (NCI, 2003).

The model was extended over time to study individuals’ response to disease and

adherence to treatment. The proponents of this theory argue that, the fear of illness is

insufficient to encourage people to engage in preventive behaviors. However, the

knowledge that some preventive behaviors can help reduce the risk is insufficient to

encourage people to take the needed actions. (Pattavina, Byrne, and Garcia, 2006).

Tarkang, and Zotor (2015), stated that, the primary elements that affect an individual's

health behaviors are perceived benefits, perceived severity, perceived susceptibility,

perceived barriers.

The HBM core assumptions are that to engage in healthy behaviors, target audiences

must be aware of their risks for serious or fatal diseases and realize that the benefits of

behavior modification outweigh any potential drawbacks or negative aspects of the

recommended activities (NCL 2003). Hygiene behaviors have an equivalent or larger

impact on sanitation-related illnesses than sanitation facilities. As a result, promoting

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Covid vaccination and its prevention is an important part of sanitation and is usually

required for good health. (Reed & Bevan, 2014).

The model, however, has been criticized for having the following shortcomings: It does

not account for behaviors that are performed for reasons unrelated to health, such as

social acceptability; It assumes that everyone has access to the same amount of

information about the illness or disease; It is more descriptive than explanatory, and it

does not suggest a strategy for altering health-related behaviour. (Orji, Vassileva, &

Mandryk, 2012). The model is presented in a diagram below:

Perceived
susceptibility

Perceived severity

Perceived benefits

COVID 19
VACCINATION
Perceived barriers

Cues to action

Self-efficacy

Source: adapted from Conner, van Harreveld & Norman (2022).

Figure 1: Health Belief Model

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2.2 Conceptual review

2.2.1 Key Concepts in Health Belief Model

Perceived severity relates to people's perceptions of how serious a disease or health

condition is and the level of harm it poses to them personally. Perceived susceptibility

refers to people's thoughts on their own risk of getting a disease or health condition.

Perceived obstacles relate to people's perceptions of the costs of taking action to avoid

disease and promote wellness, including the financial, physical, and emotional

expenses. The concepts in the model are discussed below:

a. Perceived susceptibility

Since a person's susceptibility to a given issue differs from one person to another, it is

classified as an individual's perception. Individuals will naturally take healthy

precautions to avoid an illness like COVID 19 if they believe they are at risk for it.

However, if they do not perceive to be at risk to the disease, they will not take the

vaccination.

b. Perceived severity

The perceived severity of an illness refers to how dangerous it may be for a person to

get it. Mc Cormick-Brown (1999) asserts that a person's impression of an outbreak like

COVID 19 may be influenced by medical facts or knowledge as well as the person's

opinion of the disease's potential impact on his or her life.

c. Perceived benefits

Greater physical and emotional well-being for a person is the aim of the health belief

model (Jnaz & Becker, 1984). It is more likely that an individual will take preventative

action if they believe that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 would have larger

advantages (Frank, Swedmark & Grubbs 2004).

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d. Perceived barriers

When someone understands the obstacles connected to a certain behavior, they are more

likely to act (Farooqui, Hassali, Knight., & Aljadhey 2013). According to Julianawati,

Cawley, Domegan, Brenner, and Rowan (2013), the following perceived obstacles may

have an impact on behavior change. Fear of pain, humiliation, knowledge and

awareness, attitude, accessibility, lack of support, time, and expense are a few of them.

e. Cues to action

Cues to action, as defined by Champion and Skinner (2008), are triggers for behavior

change that can include newspaper or magazine articles on COVID-19, mass media

campaigns, advise from friends, reminder postcards from the health sector, and

guidance from mass media campaigns can encourage people to take COVID-19

vaccination

f. Self-efficacy

Self-efficacy is the capacity of an individual to engage in a certain behavior to manage

potential scenarios (Bandura, 1977). According to Kotler and Lee (2011), there are two

prerequisites for a person to exhibit a desired behavior. In order to engage in the

behavior, a person must first maintain a strong conviction in his or her ability to do so

and that the rewards of doing so exceed the costs.

2.5 Empirical Review

This section reviewed related literature. The following studies were reviewed

Zhang, Zhou, Tang, Wang, Nie, Zhang & You (2020); Okoro, Ekeroku, Nweze,

Odionye, Nkire, Onuoha & Owoh (2022); Shah, Kalwar, & Soomro (2020); Fattah,

Dahleez, Mohamed, Okour, & Alawi (2021); Al-Hanawi, Angawi, Alshareef, Qattan,

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Helmy, Abudawood & Alsharqi (2020); Alzoubi, Alnawaiseh, Al-Mnayyis, Abu-

Lubad, M., Aqel, & Al-Shagahin (2020); Zhong, Luo, Zhang, Liu, Li, & Li, (2020);

Mannan, & Farhana (2020); Prasad Singh, Sewda, & Shiv, (2020); Knowledge,

attitude, practice, and associated factors regarding the novel coronavirus disease 2019

(COVID-19) pandemic. Infection and Drug Resistance, 13, 3817. Wake (2020); Habib,

Dayyab, Iliyasu, & Habib, (2021); Habib, Dayyab, Iliyasu, & Habib (2021); Anikwe,

Ogah, Anikwe Okorochukwu, & Ikeoha, (2020); Adetayo, Sanni, & Aborisade, (2021);

Kamacooko, Kitonsa, Bahemuka, Kibengo, Wajja, Basajja, ...and Ruzagira, (2021).

Nasimiyu, Audi, Oduor, Ombok, Oketch, Aol, & Munywoki, (2022).

Zhang, Featherstone, Calabrese, and Wojcieszak, (2021) in a study titled ‘Healthcare

care workers knowledge, practices and attitude towards coronavirus disease’

examined healthcare workers' (HCWs) knowledge, practices, and attitudes

towards coronavirus disease 2019 . The study used a cross-sectional survey carried out

from February 4th to February 8th, 2020. A total of 1357 healthcare workers across 10

hospitals in China (Henan) were used. The study found that, 89% of healthcare

professionals knew enough about COVID-19, over 85% were concerned about

contracting the virus by self-infection; and 89.7% adhered to the recommended

COVID-19 measures.

Okoro (2022) in ‘Attitude and preventive practices towards COVID-19 disease and the

impact of awareness training on knowledge of the disease among correctional

officers’ carried out a pre- and post-test assessment of COVID-19 knowledge among

correctional officers in Enugu State Command (Nigeria) to determine the impact of

awareness training on their knowledge level. The study also examined correctional

officers’ attitude and preventive practices towards COVID-19. The mean knowledge

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score was 19.34 out of 25, and the awareness training significantly improved the

participants’ COVID-19 knowledge. The study also found a significant moderate,

positive correlation between knowledge and attitude/practice, and a significantly higher

knowledge level among those with higher educational qualifications. The majority of

the individuals regularly washed their hands with soap and water (87.9%), wore face

masks (84.4%), and avoided eye contact with others (83%). The World Health

Organization and the Nigeria Center for Disease Control were two of the sources from

which the majority of participants (53.2%) obtained information on COVID-19.

Shah, Kalwar and Soomro (2020). In the study titled ‘Early COVID-19 outbreak,

individuals’ mask attitudes and purchase intentions: A cohesive care, examined the

attitudes and intentions towards mask purchase in Pakistan at an initial outbreak of

COVID-19’ used the mixed method, cross-sectional data and convenience sampling to

select the study participants. Survey questionnaire was administered to collect data. Out

of 650 questionnaires distributed 321 raw samples were received with the response rate

of 53.5%. The final results were inferred from 316 usable samples. The results of the

structural equation model show a positive and substantial relationship between attitudes

toward the mask and fear of COVID-19 complications, knowledge of COVID-19, and

health consciousness. Additionally, opinions toward masks were discovered to be a

reliable predictor of mask purchase intention.

In a cross-sectional study titled ‘public health awareness: knowledge, attitude and

behaviors of the public on health risks during COVID-19 pandemic in sultanate of

Oman’ Fattah, Dahleez, Mohamed, Okour & Alawi (2021) measured the level of public

awareness about the threat of the emerging coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic among

the Omani population. The study sought to examine attitudes and behaviors related to

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COVID-19's underlying issues. online survey questionnaires were given to nationals

and residents from different parts of Oman were obtained as part of a cross-sectional

study. Data analysis was done using SPSS and partial least squares structural equation

modeling. The study found that people's perceptions of the risk, information sources,

and health-related knowledge all had a significant impact on public awareness of the

COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, taking precautions as the disease spreads had a big

direct and indirect effect on how aware they were. There was, however, an insignificant

public opinion mediation effect between the information source and public awareness.

Al-Hanawi, Angawi, Alshareef, Qattan, Helmy, Abudawood and Alsharqi (2020) in a

study titled ‘Knowledge, attitude and practice toward COVID-19 among the public in

the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study’, sought to examine the

knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the Saudi public, toward COVID-19, during the

pandemic. Data from 3,388 participants who completed an online self-reported

questionnaire were used in this cross-sectional investigation. The data were subjected

to univariate and multivariable regression analyses, respectively, to determine

characteristics related to knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning the COVID-19

and to evaluate differences in mean scores. Findings revealed that the majority of study

participants had some familiarity with COVID-19. Indicating a high degree of

knowledge, the mean COVID-19 knowledge score was 17.96 (SD = 2.24, range: 3-22).

Positive attitudes were indicated by the mean attitude score of 28.23 (SD = 2.76, range:

6–30). The average practice score was 4.34 (SD = 0.87, range: 0-5), which is an

excellent result. The findings, however, indicated that men and women differ in their

levels of knowledge, optimism, and COVID-19 best practices. We also discovered that

elderly folks are probably more likely than younger people to possess superior

knowledge and skills.

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In a study titled ‘COVID-19-knowledge, attitude and practice among medical and non-

medical University Students in Jordan’ Alzoubi, Alnawaiseh, Al-Mnayyis, Abu-Lubad,

Aqel and Al-Shagahin (2020), in a cross-sectional used a structured questionnaire and

a total of 592 participants to evaluate the knowledge, practice, and attitude of university

students from Jordanian medical and non-medical colleges. Findings revealed that more

than 90% of the students responded favorably when asked about their general

awareness of COVID-19 symptoms. Nearly 99.7% of students agreed that hand

washing is required for the prevention of infection while 68.4% thought that wearing a

mask would do the same. About 6–7% of students avoided hospitals because they felt

stigmatized by the infection. Additionally, 10% of students thought that their physical

immunity and religious convictions may shield them from disease. About 20.6% and

19.2% of the students, respectively, thought that using antibiotics and smoking were

preventative measures against infection. Additionally, 96.8% of people avoid shaking

hands, 98.8% wash their hands, and 93.3% put alcohol on their hands. Ninety-five

percent of people cough or sneeze into tissues and throw them in the trash. Social media,

the internet, and television were the primary sources of information. Medical and non-

medical colleges showed no discernible differences.

Mannan and Farhana (2020), in a study titled ‘Knowledge, attitude and acceptance of

a COVID-19 vaccine: A global cross-sectional study’ examined public opinions toward

the COVID-19 vaccines as well as their acceptance and predictions. In order to estimate

prospective acceptance rates and parameters impacting acceptance of a COVID-19

vaccination, this study conducted an online survey from June to September 2020, Data

was collected from 26,852 adults aged 19 or older across six continents. The findings

indicated that two-thirds of respondents were concerned about a widespread COVID-

19 outbreak.

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Prasad Singh, Sewda and Shiv (2020), in the study titled ‘Assessing the knowledge,

attitude and practices of students regarding the COVID-19’ pandemic evaluated the

knowledge, attitudes and practices, and the key behavioural determinants of clinical

outcomes, among university students at IIHMR University from March 31 to April 10,

2020. The cross-sectional study among students was conducted just after India's state-

wide lockdown. Using purposive sampling, 529 students were selected to complete a

semi-structured questionnaire. The rate of 44% completion rate was achieved

(429/530). The participants' knowledge level was measured using a scoring method,

and significant differences between groups were found using the chi-squared test and

the t-test (p 0.05). The findings revealed that symptoms, route of transmission, and

preventative measures of COVID-19 were well understood by more than 70% of

students, while 66% were familiar with the various treatment options. TV (77%) and

social media (83%) were their main information sources. Most students showed a desire

to adhere to the lockdown and social isolation rules; nevertheless, only 27% of them

understood the risk of infection. The majority of students said they followed

government health recommendations.

Habib, Dayyab, Iliyasu and Habib (2021), in a study titled ‘Knowledge, attitude and

practice survey of Covid-19 pandemic in Northern Nigeria’ examined the knowledge,

attitude and practice during COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Nigeria. Consequently,

Health Care Workers (HCW) in Kano, Nigeria were given questionnaires in an

analytical cross-sectional survey. Using a binary logistic regression model the study

found that more than 48% did not believe COVID-19 was an animal virus, and 60%

believed the pandemic was a result of God's wrath. In addition, 36% believed the virus

was artificial. Additionally, majority of the respondents, [63.5%] acknowledged that

they recently changed their routines out of fear of getting the virus. Regarding attitudes

15
toward religious obligations, 77.77% agreed that the lesser pilgrimage should be

canceled in order to stop the disease's spread, while 23.64% acknowledged that the Hajj

should still go place despite the pandemic's continued existence. Despite the social

distance, around 50% of the respondents persisted on going to Friday communal

prayers. One in four individuals still felt stigmatized by someone who had beaten the

infection. Nearly 70% of participants stated they would be willing to take a vaccination,

and 39% said they would be willing to pay for it if it weren't covered by the government.

Huynh, Nguyen, Vo and Pham (2020) in a cross-sectional study titled ‘Knowledge,

attitude and practice survey of COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Nigeria’ assessed the

knowledge and attitude toward Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) among

healthcare workers at District 2 Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). At District 2

Hospital, the study was conducted between January 2020 and February 2020. A

systematic random sample technique was used to select participants. Data on the

knowledge and attitudes of healthcare workers toward COVID-19 were gathered using

a self-administered questionnaire. The link between the study variables was assessed

using inferential statistics such as the t-test, ANOVA, and Spearman's correlation. A

descriptive analysis of the demographics, mean knowledge score, and attitude score of

healthcare employees was published. A total of 327 qualified healthcare personnel had

mean knowledge and attitude scores that were, respectively, 8.171.3 (range 4-10) and

1.860.43 (range 1-5). They exuded confidence and demonstrated solid expertise.

However, roughly two thirds of the participants were aware of the method of

transmission, the duration of isolation, and the treatment (67.0%, 65.8%, and 58.4%,

respectively), and 82.3% and 79.8%, respectively, held a positive attitude regarding the

likelihood that they or a member of their family would become ill. The connection

between knowledge and attitude ratings was unfavourable (r=-0.21, P0.00).

16
Additionally, social media was primarily used (91.1%) by healthcare professionals to

educate themselves on COVID-19.

Reuben, Danladi, Saleh and Ejembi (2021) in another study titled ‘Knowledge, attitudes

and practices towards COVID-19: an epidemiological survey in North-Central’ sought

to determine the levels of KAP toward COVID-19 among residents of north-central

Nigeria using a Snowball sampling technique was conducted during the national

lockdown. A cross-sectional online survey with a semi-structured questionnaire. Data

collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA),

Pearson’s correlation and regression tests. From a total of 589 responses received, 80.6,

59.6, 90.4 and 56.2% were from respondents between ages 18–39 years, males, had a

college (Bachelor) degree or above and reside in urban areas respectively. The study

found out that the respondents had good knowledge (99.5%) of COVID-19. Their

knowledge was gained mainly through the internet/social media (55.7%) and

Television (27.5%). The majority of the respondents (79.5%) had positive attitudes

toward the adherence of government IPC measures with 92.7, 96.4 and 82.3%

practicing social distancing/self-isolation, improved personal hygiene and using face

mask respectively. However, 52.1% of the respondents perceived that the government

is not doing enough to curtail COVID-19 in Nigeria.

Anikwe, Ogah, Anikwe, Okorochukwu and Ikeoha (2020) in their study titled,

‘Coronavirus disease 2019: Knowledge, attitude, and practice of pregnant women in a

tertiary hospital in Abakaliki, southeast Nigeria’, used respondents at Alex Ekwueme

Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey

among 430 consenting pregnant women attending antenatal clinics was examined

between March 1st and May 30th 2020, using pretested questionnaires. The mean age

17
and mean gestational age of the respondents were 30.04 years (95% confidence interval

[CI] 28.9–31.1) and 26.3 weeks (95% CI 23.3–29.3), respectively. Findings showed

that more than four-fifths (82%) of the women believed that COVID-19 is real and their

main source of information was the mass media. Hence majority of them had adequate

knowledge of COVID-19. More than half of the respondents said COVID-19 is a

curable disease and that chloroquine can be used. The majority showed a good attitude

and preventive practice of COVID-19 disease; however, one-fourth (24%) thought that

infected individuals should be killed to prevent the spread of the virus.

In a study titled ‘COVID-19 vaccine Knowledge, Attitude, and Acceptance among

Students in Selected Universities in Nigeria Adetayo, Sanni and Aborisade (2021),

conducted an anonymous survey online among 52 Nigerian students. The questionnaire

collected data on demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and acceptance of

vaccines among respondents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were analyzed

using descriptive and inferential statistic. Of the 521 participants surveyed, 14.2%

stated that they have already received COVID-19 vaccination, whereas 54.9% intend

to be vaccinated as soon as the vaccine becomes available. Negative attitude toward

COVID-19 vaccination had an inverse, very weak, and significant relationship with

intent to vaccinate (r = −0.125, N = 521, p < 0.01). However, knowledge of COVID-

19 vaccines was significantly related with intent to vaccinate (r = 0.130, N = 521, p <

0.01).

In a cross-sectional survey titled Knowledge, Attitudes, and practices regarding

COVID-19 among healthcare workers in Uganda, Kamacooko, Kitonsa, Bahemuka,

Kibengo, Wajja, Basajja and Ruzagira (2021) employed the use of questionnaire-based

on COVID-19 KAP survey from September and November 2020, among Health Care

18
Workers at three hospitals. The Bloom’s cut-off of ≥80% was used to determine

sufficient knowledge, good attitude, and good practice, and multivariate Poisson

regression with robust variance for statistical analysis. Of 717 HCWs invited to

participate, 91.6% agreed and were enrolled. The mean age (standard deviation) of

enrollees was 33.2 (10.2) years; most were clinical HCWs 64.7% and had advanced

secondary school/other higher-level education 57.8%. Overall, 83.9% had sufficient

knowledge, 78.4% had a positive attitude, and 37.0% had good practices toward

COVID-19. Factors associated with KAP were: Knowledge: being a clinical HCW

(aRR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.02–1.23) and previous participation in health research (aRR:

1.10; 95% CI: 1.04–1.17); Attitude: age > 35 years (aRR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.79–0.98);

Practice: being a clinical HCW (aRR: 1.91; 95% CI: 1.41–2.59). In conclusion, study

showed that a majority of the HCWs had adequate knowledge and positive attitude of

the Covid-19 whereas a few of them had good practices towards the Covid-19.

Nasimiyu, Audi, Oduor, Ombok, Oketch, Aol and Munywoki (2022) in a Cross-

Sectional study titled ‘COVID-19 Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices and Vaccine

Acceptability in Rural Western Kenya and an Urban Informal Settlement in Nairobi,

Kenya’, examined the level of COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP)

among residents from an urban informal settlement in the City of Nairobi (Kibera), and

a rural community in western Kenya (Asembo). A cross-sectional survey was

conducted from April to May 2021 among randomly selected adult residents from a

population-based infectious diseases surveillance (PBIDS) cohort in Nairobi and Siaya

Counties. KAP questions were adopted from previous studies. Factors associated with

the level of COVID-19 KAP, were assessed using multivariable regression methods.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was 83.6% for the participants from Asembo and 59.8%

in Kibera. The reasons cited for vaccine hesitancy in Kibera were safety concerns

19
(34%), insufficient information available to decide (18%), and a lack of belief in the

vaccine (21%), while the reasons in Asembo were safety concerns (55%), insufficient

information to decide (26%) and lack of belief in the vaccine (11%).

Gaps in Literature

Based on a review of studies related to this study, it can be seen that not much attention

has been focused on the knowledge and attitude of students on the COVID 19

vaccination within the Ghanaian context. This study therefore seeks to fill this gap by

examining the knowledge and attitude of selected students at the Ghana Institute of

Journalism towards the COVID 19 vaccination. Furthermore, a sizable percentage of

quantitative approaches predominate a variety of study domains. Hence, the most

glaring methodological flaw is the lack of qualitative research approaches.

Consequently, this study uses a qualitative methodology.

Lessons Learnt

Al-Hanawi et al (2020) in their analysis, disaggregated their findings by looking at male

responses and female responses in drawing conclusions on the knowledge and attitudes

of males and females. This study adopted this in its analysis of findings.

20
 CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.0 Introduction

The process for obtaining and evaluating data for the study has been discussed in this

chapter. It covers study design; research approach; study population and sampling

methodology; approach for data analysis and ethical consideration of the study.

3.1 Research Design

The term research design refers to the planning of the methods to be used for collecting

relevant data and the techniques for the analysis. This is done while keeping the

research goal in mind as well as the availability of staff, time, and money (Akhtar &

Islamia, 2016). Available literature points to three types of research design:

Experiment, Survey or Case Study (Odoh & Chinedum, 2014). This current study

however employed a case study approach. The study used Diploma Two Weekend

students at Ghana Institute of Journalism as the case study. The use of the case study is

in line with the researcher’s aim of presenting detailed and hidden facts about the

knowledge and attitudes of students towards COVID-19 vaccination (Hollinshead,

2004). According to Creswell (2014), case study research is frequently qualitative in

character and complements narrative research or phenomenology. As Creswell further

puts it, the case study frequently contains a well-structured narrative, that depicts the

intricacies and contradictions of real-life situations.

3.1.1 Research Approach

A qualitative research method was employed. Qualitative research focuses on

comprehending a research question with a humanistic or idealistic approach Barnham

(2015). The qualitative method was used to conduct a thematic analysis of the interview

21
data. This subjective point of view is required to comprehend how they feel and other

nonverbal cues. Qualitative research requires understanding and collecting diverse

aspects and data. This method is important because it addresses how and why research

questions and enables a more in-depth understanding of experiences, phenomena, and

context (Cleland 2019).

3.2 Study Population

A study population can also refer to the overall number of units of the topic or

phenomena being studied, as well as the number of possible observations of the same

sort (Kumekpor, 2002). The study population of all Weekend Diploma Students of GIJ.

The population is represented by the sample frame, which is identical to the population

(Battaglia, Helmi, Tolstoy, Irwin, Hill, & Jablonka, 2008).

3.3 Sampling Method

Purposive and Available sampling method, a non-probability sampling method helped

select 25 final year students from the Diploma Two, communication studies weekend

class for the study. The type of purposive sampling used was criterion sampling (Palys

2008). In criterion sampling, choosing cases which match up some pre-established

criterion of relevance. Hence the criterion was that the student should belong to the

Diploma Two Weekend Class. The use of purposive and available sampling helped to

select people who were willing to participate in a study on the subject matter and could

provide adequate information for the study.

3.3.1 Sources of Data

Primary data was considered for gathering first-hand information from the participants.

Primary data are those that have been directly collected through the experience and

views of the respondents. Secondary data in the form of literature was also reviewed.

22
3.4 Data Collection Technique and Instruments

A data collecting instrument may be used to collect relevant data to help the study

achieve its goals: Data gathered from the interview was with an interview guide. The

first section that is Part one covered the demographic information of the respondents.

Part Two sought to collect data on the knowledge of GIJ students concerning the Covid

19 vaccination programme while Part Three sought to collect data on attitudes towards

Covid-19 vaccine.

3.5 Data Handling and Analysis

Through thematic analysis, the data was developed into themes. Data were analysed

using descriptive statistics; an approach that allows data to be organized in such a way

as to give meaning and help in examining phenomena from different angles. Thematic

Analysis is a type of qualitative analysis. It is used to analyse classifications and present

themes (patterns) that relate to the data. It illustrates the data in great detail and deals

with diverse subjects via interpretations (Boyatzis 1998). Thematic Analysis was

considered the most appropriate for any study that seeks to discover using

interpretations. It provides a systematic element to data analysis (Alhojailan, 2012). In

thematic analysis on meaning across a dataset, the researcher can see and make sense

of collective or shared meanings and experiences, and it goes even further. (Clarke &

Braun (2006). It allows the researcher to associate analysis of the frequency of a theme

with one of the whole contents. This conferred accuracy and intricacy and enhanced the

research’s whole meaning (Castleberry & Nolen 2018). Thematic Analysis allows an

understanding of the potential of any issue more widely (Marks and Yardley 2004).

Braun and Clarke (2006) defined thematic analysis as a six-step process with the phases

of Familiarizing yourself with your data through transcription, immersion, noting down

initial ideas, generating initial codes from the data that identify an interesting feature of

23
the data, semantic content or latent, Searching for themes by organizing codes into

potential themes, reviewing themes to see if they work about the coded extracts (Level

1) and the entire data set (Level 2), defining and naming themes, refining the specifics

of each theme and the overall story the analysis tells, and writing up the presentation of

the found theme and fine-tuning the overall story. (Braun & Clarke, 2006; Humble &

Mozelius, 2022)

3.6 Ethical Consideration

Ethical consideration involves the standard norm of moral support that includes

fairness, avoiding deception, ensuring integrity, avoid plagiarism in the conduct of

research. (Resnik, 2007; Yin, 2014; Clark, 2018). The study participants understood

and had access to sufficient information about the research. This study ensured honesty

and all the ethical standards mentioned above considered in each process of the data

collection and research were adhered to. before they engaged in the interview, the

subjects gave their consent after being fully informed.

3.7 Conclusion

This chapter looked at the study research design, with a focus on the importance of

content analysis. The study design, methodology, and data gathering approach have all

been discussed. The next chapter analyses and discusses the data collected from the

interviews.

24
 CHAPTER FOUR

PRESENTATION OF DATA AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

4.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the analysis of data collected using semi-structured interviews.

As specified in the methodology the respondents for the study comprised 25 Diploma

Two weekend students selected from the communication studies class using purposive

and available sampling. As emphasized in the methodology section, the responses from

the respondents have been categorized into suitable subheadings reflecting the

objectives of the study. The next section discusses the responses of the respondents in

line with the research objectives of the study.

4.2. Profile of respondents

Out of the 25 respondents, 12 were males and 13 were females. Most of the respondents

were between the ages 26 and 30 (15 respondents). Additionally, there were five

respondents between 18 to 25 years and five other respondents between 31 years and

above. Except for one Muslim all the respondents were Christians. Only one out of the

respondent was married.

4.2.2 Knowledge of the Covid-19 vaccination

In line with the objective of this study, which sought to examine the knowledge of the

respondents about the Covid 19 vaccination exercise carried out by the Ministry of

health. In line with examining the knowledge of the respondents on COVID 19, the

study delved into what the respondents knew about the COVID 19 vaccination, how

they got the information they have on the vaccination and their view regarding whether

vaccination can help reduce the spread of the disease. Overall, the study found that all

the respondents had adequate knowledge about the COVID 19 vaccination. The

25
knowledge of the respondents of exercise is amply captured in the responses of the

respondents below:

‘COVID 19 vaccination is the vaccine given to ensure that the spread

of the disease is controlled. I know it is just like the other vaccines that

are given to children. I mean polio, tetanus etc. it helps to protect the

individual’ (S4 – 26th November, 2022)

‘You can get the virus even when you take the vaccine, but it helps to

minimize the rate of sickness. It ensures that you do not get severely sick

ones you get the virus. It protects the individual’ (S8- 26th November,

2022)

‘The COVID vaccine helps to protect the individual. Ones you take it, it

protects you from the virus. You do not get seriously ill even when you

get the virus after taking the vaccine. It is a major form of protection

against the virus’ (S 11 – 26th November, 2022).

The responses above reflect the knowledge of the respondents about the COVID 19

vaccination. It can be deduced from the aforementioned responses that all the

respondents had adequate knowledge about the COVID 19 vaccination. Another

significant issue worthy of note is that; there were no disparities in the knowledge of

COVID 19 expressed by males and females. Both males and females demonstrated a

perfect understanding of the COVID 19 vaccination exercise. This is in sharp contrast

with previous findings of related studies. For instance, Aklil and Temesgan (2022) on

the knowledge and Attitude towards COVID-19 Vaccination among college students

in Northwest Ethiopia found that male students had good knowledge about the COVID

19 vaccination exercise than female students. In another related study carried out by

26
Sultana, Khan, Islam, Hossain, Hasan & Sikder (2022) on gender differences in

knowledge, attitudes and preparedness to respond to COVID-19 in Bangladesh, the

authors found that female students were more knowledgeable about the preventive

measures than their male counterparts.

Aside the knowledge the respondents had about the COVID 19 vaccination, the study

enquired from the respondents how they got the information they have about the

vaccination. The major means through which the respondents got the information were

friends, family members, social media, pastors, Chief / Opinion Leaders, their family

and friends, newspapers, and magazines. This was made known by the respondents

during answers to interview questions as follows:

‘I was scared about the virus, so I read so much about it. I have

read a lot about the virus both in magazines and on the internet.

Particularly on Facebook and twitter. So at least I know about the

essence of the covid vaccine. Those days the information was all

over the place. I personally bought the UNICEF magazine at the

time’ (S 14 – 26th November 2022).

‘I read about it myself. I remember well the daily graphic published

so much information about the vaccination exercise, so I got to

read a lot of things for myself. Some of my friends also said so much

about it. So basically, I read from books, newspapers and social

media (S 3 – 26th November, 2022).

‘Well, I spent so much on data reading about COVID. So I leant so

much on Facebook, twitter and even tick tock. Basically, I like to

browse Facebook and people share information there as well. I

27
 have read so much on the vaccination exercise on facebook’(S 18

– 28th November, 2022).

The study also made another interesting observation regarding the means through

which the respondents obtained information on COVID 19. It was found that all the

females got some information on COVID 19 from churches. Interestingly, none of the

male respondents listed a church amongst the places they obtained information on

COVID 19. This may be due to the established convention that females patronize

church activities than males (Kasomo, 2010).

Apart from the means through which the respondents acquired information on the

COVID 19 vaccination, the study found that all the respondents believed that

vaccination would help reduce the spread of the disease. However, 15 out of the 25

respondents were of the view that for the vaccination to achieve the desired results, the

precautionary measures announced by the Ministry of Health should be adhered to.

These views were reflected in the responses below:

‘I have read so much, and I believe that the vaccine will help to reduce

the spread. I also think that we should also stick to the frequent

handwashing campaign. Once this is done, the spread will be

reduced’ (S21 – 26th November, 2022).

‘Well, the vaccine, per my reading, will help to reduce the spread.

However, the safety measures should not be abandoned. You can still

be infected even after taking the vaccine. So why not protect yourself’

(25- 26th November, 2022).

Overall, this section of the study examined the knowledge of the respondents on

COVID 19. As indicated previously, this study found that the respondents (both males

28
and females) had very good knowledge about the COVID 19 vaccination exercise. The

findings of this study are corroborated by empirical literature on the subject. A study

carried out by Al-Hanawi et al., (2020) on the knowledge, attitude and practice towards

COVID19 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia found that almost all the respondents were

knowledgeable about COVID-19. The studies mean COVID-19 knowledge score was

17.96 (SD = 2.24, range: 3–22). This represents a high level of knowledge as far as

COVID 19 is concerned. A similar study carried out by Alzoubi et al., (2020) also found

that 90% of students were knowledge about the symptoms of COVID-19.

4.2.3 Students’ attitude towards Covid-19 vaccination

This section of the study delved into the attitude of the student regarding the COVID

19 vaccination. In doing so the study first delved into the view of the students regarding

the COVID 19 vaccination exercise and ascertained whether students will recommend

the vaccination to their family and friends. The respondents gave varying views of the

exercise. Overall, all the thirteen female respondents were of the view that the exercise

was positive. However, 3 out of the 12 male respondents felt the vaccination exercise

was meaningless and would not recommend it to their family members or friends. In

effect, out of the 25 respondents 22 were of the view that the exercise was positive even

though they felt that the long queues at the vaccination centers was a huge disincentive.

three of the male respondents expressed negative remarks about the exercise as they

were of the view that the vaccination programme was unnecessary and that government

should have channeled the funds used in procuring the vaccines into other productive

activities. The concerns of the 3 respondents (males) who had reservations about the

relevance of the exercise were to the effect that COVID 19 was not necessarily a health

threatening disease and that those who got attacked would heal naturally. Others also

29
felt that instead of administering the vaccines to the entire population at a huge cost to

the nation, government should only focus on those with underlining health conditions.

These concerns are reflected in the responses below:

‘You mean Covid 19? Well, I can tell you that the disease is not as serious as they make

it seem. We all got it unknowingly and we have recovered. I felt the symptoms strongly

a couple of days ago but I have recovered. I lost my sense of smell and I felt sick but I

recovered without any serious medication. I know people have lost their life’s but those

are the people with other illness already. Like the hypertension and diabetes’ (S1 – 8th

October, 2022)

‘I always say this. Let me repeat it here. See, why can’t we give the

vaccines to only those with underlining health conditions.

Because they are those who are really in danger. Just check it out.

All those who have been infected and couldn’t survive are those who

had underlining health diseases. So what is really the point giving it

out to everybody. Well, I think we are just copying blindly. Why not

give it out to only those with the health conditions just to save some

money’ (8th October, 2022)

‘I have always had my own reservations about this exercise. I have

taken the jab though but I did it under some kind of compulsion. All,

my family members had done it and my father will not let me rest so

I decided to do it too-for my father, you know. But I know the disease

is not that dangerous. We have all gotten and recovered. So what is

the point here’ (8th October, 2022).

30
The above responses represent the views of the respondents who had reservations about

the vaccines and would not recommend it to their family and their close friends.

However, as indicated earlier, most (22) of the respondents were very positive about

the exercise and indicated that they would highly recommend it. The views below

represents the views of some of the respondents who expressed optimism about the

exercise:

‘I will recommend it on any day. See the havoc the disease has

caused. Just look at the lives it has taken. So I believe that if there is

a vaccine that will help to minimize its effect why not. I am for it. All

my family members have already taken it. I have taken it myself

too’ (S5 – 8th October, 2022).

These are trying times for all of us. You only have to take precaution

and ensure that you abide by all the measures. It is still with us. I

have seen several people who have been bed ridden and were at the

point of death as a result of Covid. I almost lost my best friend as a

result. So, it is a dangerous disease. I have already taken it and I

will encourage all to do same (S8 – 1st October, 2022).

It can clearly be seen from the above narrative that the 3 male respondents who do not

believe that the vaccination is relevant do not feel that COVID -19 is a life-threatening

disease. This is in line with the dictates of the health belief model. The model explains

that the perceived severity of an illness impacts the rate at which people will seek

medical help and vice versa. Furthermore, Mannan and Farhana (2020) also two-thirds

of respondents were moderately worried about a widespread COVID-19 outbreak. In

much the same way, the findings of this study are corroborated other studies such as

31
Alnasser et al., (2021) study on public knowledge, attitudes, and practice towards

COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia, Findings indicated that the respondents

demonstrated positive attitudes and demonstrated good practices for preventing the

spread of disease infection.

32
 CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND CONCLUSION

5.1 Introduction

This is the final chapter of the study, and it is made up of a summary of the key findings,

recommendations, conclusion, and suggestions for advance studies. This chapter

concludes and brings finality to the entire study. This research was conducted to

establish the knowledge and attitudes of selected students of the Diploma Two

Weekend Class of GIJ regarding the Covid 19 vaccination. Overall, the study sought

to examine what were the knowledge of students about the Covid-19 vaccination; what

were the attitude of student towards Covid-19 vaccination; The summary of the findings

in relation to the research questions of the study are presented below:

5.2 Summary of findings

With regards to the knowledge of GIJ students regarding Covid-19 vaccination. The

study delved into issues involving their understanding of the COVID vaccination, the

means through which they got the information about it and whether they were of the

view that the vaccination can help reduce the spread of the virus. Overall, the study

found that both the male and female respondents had adequate knowledge about the

COVID-19 vaccination. In much the same way, they believed that the vaccination

would help reduce the spread of the virus as well. The respondents also indicated that

they acquired information about the COVID vaccination through social media, family

and friends, Pastor, Chief Opinion Leaders, newspapers and magazines. In respect to

the attitude of student towards Covid-19 vaccination, the study delved into the view of

the students on COVID-19 vaccination exercise and whether they would recommend it

to their family and friends. The study found that the students had a mixed view of the

33
COVID19 vaccination programme. All the female respondents and three-fourth of the

male respondents were positive about the exercise and would recommend it to their

family and friends. However, one quarter of the male respondents expressed negative

sentiments about the exercise. They indicated that the vaccination programme was

unnecessary, and that government should have channelled the funds used in procuring

the vaccines into other productive activities. Those with negative sentiments also

mentioned that they would not recommend the exercise to their friends and family.

5.3 Conclusion

Majority of the respondents were of the view that the COVID 19 vaccination has the

capability of protecting the individual from the COVID virus and reduce the spread of

the virus as well. However, some of the respondents were of the view that government

should give it so much attention and commit so many resources to the procurement of

the vaccine. As found in the study, even though all the 13 female respondents were

positive about the exercise, 3 of the 12 male respondents did not think the COVID virus

was dangerous. They were of the view that once you take care of yourself you would

recover and there was no need for government to commit huge resources towards the

vaccination exercise. This seeks to imply that even though they believed in the efficacy

of the vaccine, they believed government should not commit resources to it.

5.4 Study Limitation

The study was limited to only communication in diploma 2 weekend students GIJ

students due to the time and resources to embark on increasing the sample considered.

However, the research can further be extended to other tertiary institutions. Likewise,

future research can also explore the use of mixed method or a quantitative analysis of

34
the topic under study since the researcher was limited to the usage of qualitative

analysis.

5.5 Recommendations

Based on the aforementioned findings, this study recommends as follows:

The government should roll out a comprehensive COVID -19 vaccination education

programme through the Health Ministry. As part of the education programme,

celebrities should be made to participate in the education programme on radios,

televisions and social media. Furthermore, notable musicians should also be made

produce music that highlight the life-threatening nature of the COVID 19 disease. This

will ensure that negative perceptions associated with the COVID vaccination is

dispelled. Moreover, the Ministry of Health should intensify public education on

various pandemics as and when they occur. This will help to curb the spread of

misinformation within the system.

The media should ensure that all information is accurate and from credible sources

which can be verified at all times and also engage qualified health practitioners and

experts to clear their doubt before joining the bandwagon in the spread of

misinformation.

35
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 APPENDIX A

INTERVIEW GUIDE

The researcher is a Diploma in Communication Studies student at the Ghana

Institute of Journalism (GIJ). This interview guide seeks to elicit a response on the

topic ‘Knowledge and Attitudes of students of GIJ on covid 19 vaccination’.

Information provided for this research will be treated confidentially and used for

academic purposes only.

PART 1: Profile of respondents

1. What is your sex?

1. Male ( )

2. Female ( )

2. What age group do you fall into?

1.18 - 25 years ( )

2. 26 -30 ( )

3.31-45 ( )

3. What is your religion?

1. Christianity ( )

2. Islamic ( )

3. Traditional ( )

4. other specify…………………….

4. What is your marital Status:

1. Single ( )

2. Married ( )

3. Divorce ( )

4. others specify…………………...

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PART II: Knowledge on Covid-19 Vaccine

1. What do you know about the Covid-19 vaccination?

2. How do you get the information you have on the covid-19 vaccine?

PART III: Attitude towards Covid-19 Vaccine

3. What is your view about the covid-19 vaccination exercise?

4a. Would you recommend the vaccine to your friends and family?

4b. Explain your answer

43