COVID-19 vaccination willingness among people living with HIV in Shijiazhuang, China: a cross-sectional survey

Abstract

ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic imposed an enormous disease and economic burden worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is essential to containing the pandemic. People living with HIV (PLWH) may be more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 outcomes; thus, understanding their vaccination willingness and influencing factors is helpful in developing targeted vaccination strategies.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between 15 June and 30 August 2022 in Shijiazhuang, China. Variables included socio-demographic characteristics, health status characteristics, HIV-related characteristics, knowledge, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination and COVID-19 vaccination status. Multivariable logistic regression was used to confirm factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination willingness among PLWH.ResultsA total of 1,428 PLWH were included, with a 90.48% willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. PLWH were more unwilling to receive COVID-19 vaccination for those who were female or had a fair/poor health status, had an allergic history and comorbidities, were unconvinced and unsure about the effectiveness of vaccines, were unconvinced and unsure about the safety of vaccines, were convinced and unsure about whether COVID-19 vaccination would affect ART efficacy, or did not know at least a type of domestic COVID-19 vaccine. Approximately 93.00% of PLWH have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine among PLWH, and 213 PLWH (14.92%) reported at least one adverse reaction within 7 days.ConclusionIn conclusion, our study reported a relatively high willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccination among PLWH in Shijiazhuang. However, a small number of PLWH still held hesitancy; thus, more tailored policies or guidelines from the government should be performed to enhance the COVID-19 vaccination rate among PLWH.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Coverage of Recommended Vaccinations in Individuals with Chronic Medical Conditions: A Cross-Sectional Telephone Survey in Italy

“…Moreover, the multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that individuals who believed in the usefulness and safety of vaccinations were 1.7 and 2 times more willing to be vaccinated than those who had a negative attitude. These findings are consistent with those of previous studies conducted in different populations establishing that having positive opinions regarding vaccinations generally has a significant impact on their acceptance [ 37 , 38 ]. Therefore, public health education campaigns tailored to patients exhibiting skepticism towards the effectiveness and safety of vaccinations could lead to a significant increase in vaccine acceptance and uptake.…”