COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in inflammatory arthritis patients: serial surveys from a large longitudinal national Australian cohort

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dc.contributor.authorMcMaster, C.
dc.contributor.authorLiew, D.F.L.
dc.contributor.authorLester, S.
dc.contributor.authorRischin, A.
dc.contributor.authorBlack, R.J.
dc.contributor.authorChand, V.
dc.contributor.authorFletcher, A.
dc.contributor.authorLassere, M.N.
dc.contributor.authorMarch, L.
dc.contributor.authorRobinson, P.C.
dc.contributor.authorBuchbinder, R.
dc.contributor.authorHill, C.L.
dc.date.issued2022
dc.description.abstractObjectives: To determine COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy rates in inflammatory arthritis patients and identify factors associated with changing vaccine hesitancy over time. Methods: This investigation was a prospective cohort study of inflammatory arthritis patients from community and public hospital outpatient rheumatology clinics enrolled in the Australian Rheumatology Association Database (ARAD). Two surveys were conducted, one immediately prior to (pre-pandemic) and another approximately 1 year after the start of the pandemic (follow-up). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy was measured at follow-up, and general vaccine hesitancy was inferred pre-pandemic; these were used to identify factors associated with fixed and changing vaccine beliefs, including sources of information and broader beliefs about medication. Results: Of the 594 participants who completed both surveys, 74 (12%) were COVID-19 vaccine hesitant. This was associated with prepandemic beliefs about medications being harmful (P < 0.001) and overused (P ¼ 0.002), with stronger beliefs resulting in vaccine hesitancy persistent over two time points (P ¼ 0.008, P ¼ 0.005). For those not vaccine hesitant pre-pandemic, the development of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was associated with a lower likelihood of seeking out vaccine information from health-care professionals (P < 0.001). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was not associated with new influenza vaccine hesitancy (P ¼ 0.138). Conclusion: In this study of vaccine beliefs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in inflammatory arthritis patients varied, depending on vaccine attitudes immediately prior to the start of the pandemic. Fixed beliefs reflected broader views about medications, while fluid beliefs were highly influenced by whether they sought out information from health-care professionals, including rheumatologists.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityChristopher McMaster, David F. L. Liew, Susan Lester, Adam Rischin, Rachel J. Black, Vibhasha Chand, Ashley Fletcher, Marissa N. Lassere, Lyn March, Philip C. Robinson, Rachelle Buchbinder, Catherine L. Hill
dc.identifier.citationRheumatology, 2022; 62(4):1-7
dc.identifier.doi10.1093/rheumatology/keac503
dc.identifier.issn1462-0324
dc.identifier.issn1462-0332
dc.identifier.orcidLester, S. [0000-0003-3013-2701]
dc.identifier.orcidBlack, R.J. [0000-0001-6600-7430]
dc.identifier.orcidHill, C.L. [0000-0001-8289-4922]
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2440/136694
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherOxford University Press (OUP)
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/384330
dc.rights© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keac503
dc.subjectrheumatic disease; vaccine hesitancy; COVID-19; patient education
dc.titleCOVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in inflammatory arthritis patients: serial surveys from a large longitudinal national Australian cohort
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished online

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