Evaluation of Seasonal Agricultural Workers' Perception of COVID-19 and Attitudes Toward COVID-19 Vaccination: A Cross-Sectional Study in Malatya

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the demand for agricultural products due to measures like flexible working, online education, and lockdowns, which increased the workload for agricultural workers. This study examined seasonal agricultural workers in a village in Akçadağ, Malatya, focusing on their perception of COVID-19 and their attitudes toward vaccination. Methods: Conducted between July 1st-31st, 2022, and recruited seasonal agricultural workers. Participants completed the “COVID-19 Perception Scale” (with subscales for perceived danger and contagiousness) and the “Attitude Toward COVID-19 Vaccination Scale” (with subscales for positive and negative attitudes). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 247 subjects participated. The mean perceived danger subscale score was 3.38±1.17, indicating high concern about COVID-19 risks. The perceived contagiousness subscale averaged 4.09±0.89, reflecting significant worry about the spread of COVID-19. Their attitudes towards vaccination were scored as 2.75±1.37 and 2.94±0.88 for positive and negative feelings, respectively. Despite positive attitudes, only 14.3% of participants were vaccinated, revealing a gap between attitude and action. Conclusion: Seasonal agricultural workers in Malatya showed high concern about the danger and contagiousness of COVID-19 and had a generally positive attitude toward vaccination. However, low vaccination rates indicate the need for targeted interventions to overcome barriers and promote vaccination among this group.