Professor Moh. Hakimi, of the UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing explained the difference between vaccines’ efficacy and effectiveness.
He explained that efficacy or usability was a test’s result under ideal conditions in which all factors are controlled. Meanwhile, effectiveness is observed through the vaccination program applied in real life in the community, so the rate of vaccine’s effectiveness seems lower than the efficacy.
“In clinical trials, the vaccine was in the precise dose placed in a secured storage, and there was also control from patient’s compliance to create ideal conditions. This condition is different from a vaccination program setting. If the vaccine was distributed to the health center without following standard administration, the results would be less significant,” he explained on Wednesday (20/1).
He further revealed that we could measure the efficacy through the number of groups that were not vaccinated minus the number of those vaccinated. Then the result is divided by the incidence rate of those who were not vaccinated.
“So, the frequency of those who are not vaccinated is used as a comparison as well as as a reference category,” he added.
He revealed this in the UGM CBMH FK-KMK Raboan Online event on the topic “Covid-19 Vaccine: Ethics and Infectious Disease”. He demonstrated the health belief model that asserted the involvement of factors influencing a person’s willingness in health promotion activities; namely perceptions of seriousness towards their problems, perceptions of vulnerability, perceptions of benefits and obstacles, and perceptions of threats.
Modified variables consisting of demographic variables such as social class, gender, age, and psychological characteristics such as personality and peer group pressure also influence a person’s willingness in health promotion activities.
One of the important strategies in the vaccination program is demonstrating the seriousness of Covid-19 and its impact and the vaccination’s benefits.
“People won’t hesitate to be vaccinated if they can see the valuable benefits from the vaccination program,” said Hakimi.
He added that currently, a lot of fake information is circulating that could affect public perceptions if there are no immediate careful responses. Accordingly, there should be a responsive correction on any misinformation that appeared.
In this regard, he delivered a presentation related to infectious disease bioethics. In clinical medical practice, patients are perceived as victims. Otherwise, according to infectious diseases, patients are not only victims, but they are also vectors that could transmit the virus to other people.
“So, there is a moral obligation for patients suffering from infectious diseases to others,” he said.
According to him, connecting the gap between bioethics and traditional public health is also necessary. More attention is needed at the practical level in the aspects of confidentiality and privacy, informed consent, and paternalism.
Source: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/20649-pakar-ugm-terangkan-beda-efikasi-dan-efektivitas-vaksin
