Grech Lisa, Kwok Alastair, Nguyen Mike, Winkel Antony, Butler Ernest, Allan Michelle, Bain Nathan, Segelov Eva
Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia.
Department of Oncology, Monash Health, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia.
Vaccines (Basel). 2023 Feb 10;11(2):410. doi: 10.3390/vaccines11020410.
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are susceptible to severe COVID-19 outcomes. They were included as a priority group for the Australian COVID-19 vaccine roll-out in early 2021. However, vaccine hesitancy remains a complex barrier to vaccination in this population group, which may be partly related to disease relapse concerns following COVID-19 vaccination. This study examined the COVID-19 vaccination status, intent, hesitancy, and disease-related beliefs in people with MS.
An online survey was conducted with people with MS receiving care at two Australian health services between September and October 2021. It collected sociodemographic and disease-specific characteristics and responses to validated scales that assessed vaccine hesitancy and general and MS-related vaccine beliefs.
Of the 281 participants [mean age 47.7 (SD 12.8) years; 75.8% females], most (82.9%) had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. Younger participants were less likely to be vaccinated, as were those within 1-5 years of disease duration. After controlling for age, disease duration was not associated with vaccination status. Unvaccinated participants were more likely to report less willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, higher vaccine complacency and lower vaccine confidence, greater MS-related vaccine complacency, and higher MS and treatment interaction concerns.
People with MS reported a high vaccination rate, despite general and MS-specific COVID-19 vaccine concerns. Greater MS-specific concerns were reported by those who indicated that their MS was not well-controlled and their MS impacted their daily activities. By understanding the factors that influence vaccine hesitancy and their interplay with MS disease course and treatment concerns, this can inform tailored interventions and educational messages to address these concerns in people with MS. Clinicians, governments, and community organisations are key partners in delivering these interventions and messages, as ongoing booster doses are needed for this vulnerable population.
多发性硬化症（MS）患者易出现严重的新冠病毒疾病（COVID-19）结局。他们在2021年初被列为澳大利亚COVID-19疫苗接种的优先群体。然而，疫苗犹豫仍然是该人群接种疫苗的一个复杂障碍，这可能部分与COVID-19疫苗接种后对疾病复发的担忧有关。本研究调查了MS患者的COVID-19疫苗接种状况、意愿、犹豫程度以及与疾病相关的信念。
2021年9月至10月期间，对在澳大利亚两家医疗服务机构接受治疗的MS患者进行了一项在线调查。收集了社会人口学和疾病特异性特征，以及对评估疫苗犹豫程度和一般及与MS相关的疫苗信念的有效量表的回答。
在281名参与者中（平均年龄47.7岁[标准差12.8]；75.8%为女性），大多数（82.9%）至少接种了一剂COVID-19疫苗。较年轻的参与者接种疫苗的可能性较小，疾病病程在1至5年的参与者也是如此。在控制年龄后，疾病病程与疫苗接种状况无关。未接种疫苗的参与者更有可能表示不太愿意接种COVID-19疫苗，疫苗自满情绪更高，疫苗信心更低，与MS相关的疫苗自满情绪更高，以及对MS与治疗相互作用的担忧更高。
尽管存在对COVID-19疫苗的一般和特定于MS的担忧，但MS患者报告的疫苗接种率较高。那些表示自己的MS未得到良好控制且MS影响其日常活动的患者报告了更多特定于MS的担忧。通过了解影响疫苗犹豫的因素及其与MS病程和治疗担忧的相互作用，可以为制定针对性的干预措施和教育信息提供依据，以解决MS患者的这些担忧。临床医生、政府和社区组织是实施这些干预措施和信息的关键合作伙伴，因为这一弱势群体需要持续接种加强针。
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