Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T02:57:21.407Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Patients With Epilepsy or Other Chronic Conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2021

Ali A. Asadi-Pooya Open the ORCID record for Ali A. Asadi-Pooya [Opens in a new window] ,
Zohreh Barzegar ,
Saeid Sadeghian ,
Abdullah Nezafat ,
Mina Shahisavandi  and
Seyed Ali Nabavizadeh
Ali A. Asadi-Pooya*
Affiliation:
Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA
Zohreh Barzegar
Affiliation:
Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Saeid Sadeghian
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatric Neurology, Golestan Medical, Educational, and Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Abdullah Nezafat
Affiliation:
Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Mina Shahisavandi
Affiliation:
Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Seyed Ali Nabavizadeh
Affiliation:
Epilepsy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
*
Corresponding author: Ali A. Asadi-Pooya, Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to investigate the opinions of different groups of people in Iran on their willingness to receive a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional study, we surveyed a sample (based on consecutive referrals) of 5 groups of people in late 2020: a group of the general population from Shiraz (without a history of any chronic medical or psychiatric problems), patients with epilepsy, patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), patients with cardiac problems, and patients with psychiatric problems. The survey included 4 general questions and 3 COVID-19–specific questions.

Results:

A total of 582 people participated. In total, 66 (11.3%) people expressed that they were not willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Psychiatric disorders (odds ratio [OR]: 3.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.31-7.60; P = 0.006) and male sex (OR: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.23-3.58; P = 0.010) were significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

Conclusion:

Vaccine hesitancy is a global issue. Patients with psychiatric disorders had the highest rate of vaccine hesitancy. Previous studies have shown that depression and anxiety are associated with a reduced adherence to the recommended medical advice. Why male sex is associated with vaccine hesitancy is not clear. Researchers should investigate the rates and the factors affecting the vaccine hesitancy in their corresponding communities.

Keywords

coronavirusCOVID-19epilepsyhesitancyvaccine
Type
Brief Report
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 16 , Issue 5 , October 2022 , pp. 1848 - 1850
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Rothan, HA, Byrareddy, SN. The epidemiology and pathogenesis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. J Autoimmun. 2020;109:102433.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Javanmardi, F, Keshavarzi, A, Akbari, A, et al. Prevalence of underlying diseases in died cases of COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2020;15:e0241265.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dubé, E, Vivion, M, MacDonald, NE. Vaccine hesitancy, vaccine refusal and the anti-vaccine movement: influence, impact and implications. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2015;14:99-117.Google ScholarPubMed
Asadi-Pooya, AA, Sahraian, A, Badv, RS, et al. Physicians’ opinions on the necessity of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with epilepsy. Epileptic Disord. 2021;23:485-489.Google ScholarPubMed
Asadi-Pooya, AA, Emami, A, Akbari, A, et al. COVID-19 presentations and outcome in patients with epilepsy. Acta Neurol Scand. 2021;143:624-628.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reiter, PL, Pennell, ML, Katz, ML. Acceptability of a COVID-19 vaccine among adults in the United States: how many people would get vaccinated? Vaccine. 2020;38:6500-6507.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Malik, AA, McFadden, SM, Elharake, J, et al. Determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in the US. EClinicalMedicine. 2020;26:100495.Google ScholarPubMed
Neumann-Böhme, S, Varghese, NE, Sabat, I, et al. Once we have it, will we use it? A European survey on willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Eur J Health Econ. 2020;21:977-982.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guo, Y, Ding, XY, Lu, RY, et al. Depression and anxiety are associated with reduced antiepileptic drug adherence in Chinese patients. Epilepsy Behav. 2015;50:91-95.Google ScholarPubMed
Fisher, KA, Bloomstone, SJ, Walder, J, et al. Attitudes toward a potential SARS-CoV-2 vaccine: a survey of U.S. Adults. Ann Intern Med. 2020;173:964-973.Google Scholar