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Table 1 Frequency distribution of participants’ characteristics according to their acceptance of receiving COVID-19 vaccine (N = 504)

From: Association between social media use and the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among the general population in Saudi Arabia – a cross-sectional study

Variable

Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine

Total 504 (100%)

Yes (willing to receive, or have already received the vaccine) 477 (94.6%)

No (not willing to receive COVID-19 vaccine) 27 (5.4%)

Age (years) 18–29

275 (57.7%)

14 (51.9%)

289 (57.3%)

 30–39

84 (17.6%)

4 (14.8%)

88 (17.5%)

 40–49

68 (14.3%)

5 (18.5%)

73 (14.5%)

 50 + 

50 (10.4%)

4 (14.8%)

54 (10.7%)

Gender

 Female

349 (73.2%)

19 (70.4%)

368 (73%)

 Male

128 (26.8%)

8 (29.6%)

136 (27%)

Nationality

 Saudi

454 (95.2%)

26 (96.3%)

480 (95.2%)

 Non-Saudi

23 (4.8%)

1 (3.7%)

24 (4.8%)

Marital status

 Unmarried

240 (50.3%)

11 (40.7%)

251 (49.8%)

 Married

216 (45.3%)

15 (55.6%)

231 (45.8%)

 Divorced or widowed

21 (4.4%)

1 (3.7%)

22 (4.4%)

Residency area

 Southern region

20 (4.2%)

3 (11.1%)

23 (4.6%)

 Eastern region

54 (11.3%)

0 (0%)

54 (10.7%)

 Northern region

7 (1.5%)

0 (0%)

7 (1.4%)

 Western region

326 (68.3%)

19 (70.4%)

345 (68.4%)

 Central region

70 (14.7%)

5 (18.5%)

75 (14.9%)

Highest level of education

 Master's/PhD

31 (6.5%)

1 (3.7%)

32 (6.3)

 Bachelor

274 (57.4%)

13 (48.1%)

287 (56.9%)

 College diploma

27 (5.7%)

1 (3.7%)

28 (5.6%)

 High School certificate

134 (28.1%)

12 (44.4%)

146 (29%)

 Less than a high school diploma

11 (2.3%)

0 (0%)

11 (2.2%)

Degree in healthcare field

 No

333 (69.8%)

18 (66.7%)

351 (69.6%)

 Yes

144 (30.2%)

9 (33.3%)

153 (30.4%)

Frontline healthcare worker

 No

423 (88.7%)

22 (81.5%)

445 (88.3%)

 yes

54 (11.3%)

5 (18.5%)

59 (11.7%)

Monthly income

 Less than SR 4000

224 (47%)

13 (48.1%)

237 (47%)

 Between SR 4000—SR 10,000

140 (29.3%)

7 (26%)

147 (29.2%)

 Between SR 10,000- SR 20,000

86 (18%)

6 (22.2%)

92 (18.2%)

 More than SR 20,000

27 (5.7%)

1 (3.7%)

28 (5.6%)

Chronic conditions

 No

403 (84.5%)

18 (66.7%)

421 (83.5%)

 Yes

74 (15.5%)

9 (33.3%)

83-(16.5%)

Received the seasonal Influenza vaccine in the past

 No

204 (42.8%)

13 (48.1%)

217 (43.1%)

 yes

273 (57.2%)

14 (51.9%)

287 (56.9%)

Refused vaccination in the past

 No

405 (84.9%)

25 (92.6%)

430 (85.3%)

 Yes

72 (15.1%)

2 (7.4%)

74 (14.7%)

Infected with COVID-19

 No

371 (77.8%)

22 (81.5%)

393 (78%)

 Yes

106 (22.2%)

5 (18.5%)

111 (22%)

Family, friends or co-workers infected with COVID-19

 No

63 (13.2%)

3 (11.1%)

66 (13.1%)

 Yes

414 (86.8%)

24 (88.9%)

438 (86.9%)

Knowing someone passed away due to COVID-19

 No

190 (39.8%)

12 (44.4%)

202 (40.1%)

 yes

287 (60.2%)

15 (55.6%)

302 (59.9%)

Perceived risk of getting infected with COVID-19

 Low

202 (42.3%)

10 (37%)

212 (42.1%)

 Fair

238 (49.9%)

15 (55.6%)

253 (50.2%)

 High

37 (7.8%)

2 (7.4%)

39 (7.7%)

Social media use for COVID-19 updates and news

 No

124 (26%)

6 (22.2%)

130 (25.8%)

 Yes

353 (74%)

21 (77.8%)

374 (74.2%)

Preferred media platform for COVID-19 news and updates

 Twitter

 No

178 (37.3%)

10 (37%)

188 (37.3%)

 Yes

299 (62.7%)

17 (63%)

316 (62.7%)

 Instagram

 No

395 (82.8%)

20 (74.1%)

415 (82.3%)

 Yes

82 (17.2%)

7 (25.9%)

89 (17.7%)

WhatsApp

 No

376 (78.8%)

17 (63%)

393 (78%)

 Yes

101 (21.2%)

10 (37%)

111 (22%)

Others*

 No

454 (95.2%)

27 (100%)

481 (95.4%)

 Yes

23 (4.8%)

0 (0%)

23 (4.6%)

Side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine

Infertility

 No

432 (90.6%)

20 (74.1%)

452 (89.7%)

 Yes

45 (9.4%)

7 (25.9%)

52 (10.3%)

Thrombosis

 No

257 (53.9%)

13 (48.1%)

270 (53.6%)

 Yes

220 (46.1%)

14 (51.9%)

234 (46.4%)

Sudden death

 No

397 (83.2%)

19 (70.4%)

416 (82.5%)

 Yes

80 (16.8%)

8 (29.6%)

88 (17.5%)

Genetic changes

 No

407 (85.3%)

21 (77.8%)

428 (84.9%)

 Yes

70 (14.7%)

6 (22.2%)

76 (15.1%)

Othersb

 No

256 (53.7%)

19 (70.4%)

275 (54.6%)

 Yes

221 (46.3%)

8 (29.6%)

229 (45.4%)

Concerned about having a serious side effect from COVID-19 vaccine

 Not concerned at all

266 (%55.8)

5 (18.5%)

271 (53.8%)

 somewhat concerned

203 (42.5%)

13 (48.1%)

216 (42.8%)

 very concerned

8 (1.7%)

9 (33.3%)

17 (3.4%)

Decision to vaccinate is based on information from social media

 No

231 (48.4%)

7 (25.9%)

238 (47.2%)

 To some extent

143 (30%)

8 (29.7%)

151 (30%)

 Yes

103 (21.6%)

12 (44.4%)

115 (22.8%)

  1. aOthers: Other social media platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, Youtube and Telegram
  2. bOthers: Other expected side effects of COVID-19 vaccine; including arm pain, fever, headache, malaise and menstrual irregularities