Heba Alkotb Mohamed^{1, 2,}, Samar Mohamed Abdelkader², Abear Husain Al-Shehri³

Background: Awareness of the COVID vaccine and positive beliefs can help in the reduction of coronavirus morbidity and mortality. Aim: The study aimed to examine the effect of application of health belief model COVID vaccine acceptance among university employees in Namas City. Materials and Methods: quasi-experimental research design. The study was conducted in all faculties of Bisha University at Namas district in south KSA. A convenience sample of Saudi employees taking only one dose and refusal received vaccination against COVID at the University of Bisha, Al-Namas branch. The study was conducted from the beginning of February 2021 to the end of 2021 covering 6 months. Three tools were used to conduct this study: a self-administrated questionnaire first tool,about sociodemographic and COVID vaccine knowledge, second tool was HBM scale and third tool. Three tools questionnaire to assess design making toward vaccination against COVID-19 and what are barrier and hesitancy to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine after implementation educational program. Results: Most of the university employees acceptance of COVID vaccine and improved their knowledge and significantly improved HBM constructs compared with the scores before the program (P<0.001). Conclusion: After implementation of the nursing educational program about COVID vaccine for Saudi employees, knowledge improved significantly, and there were significant improvements in perceived severity, barriers, benefits, and the cues to action scores after the program compared with the scores before program (P≤0.001). Recommendations: Propagation of educational programs based on HBM on COVID vaccine to various age groups would help raise public awareness about COVID vaccine and change to positive beliefs for reduction coronavirus morbidity and mortality.

COVID vaccine, educational program, Health Belief Mode