Abstract

VIDAL-CUELLAR, Claudia L.; ZANONI-RAMOS, Omar F.; MAS, Guiliana  and  TELLO-RODRIGUEZ, Tania. Perception about vaccines and level of knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 in older adults in Lima, Peru. Rev. perú. med. exp. salud publica [online]. 2022, vol.39, n.2, pp.201-207.  Epub June 30, 2022. ISSN 1726-4634.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17843/rpmesp.2022.392.10847.

This study aimed to describe the perception about vaccines and the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19 in older adults from a hospital in Lima, Peru. Descriptive and cross-sectional study carried out from March to November 2021. An instrument was adapted and validated to measure the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices; the perception about vaccines was evaluated with an exploratory questionnaire. Eighty-three older adults were surveyed, the mean age was 74.0 years and 62.7% were women. Most of the participants knew the cause and symptoms, and 50.6% believed that it could be transmitted by contaminated food. Additionally, 61.7% used traditional medicine to prevent it, and 65.4% considered that the level of social awareness was insufficient; 91.5% were vaccinated against COVID-19, and 65.4% considered these vaccines to be safe. In conclusion, most older adults showed a high level of knowledge, attitudes and practices and a positive perception about the vaccine against COVID-19.

Keywords : COVID-19; Aged; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; COVID-19 Vaccines.

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