ASPO Abstracts
Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Cancer Patients
Category: Behavioral Science & Health Communication
Conference Year: 2022
Abstract Body:
We evaluated beliefs and sociodemographic factors that influence COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in those with a confirmed diagnosis of invasive cancer. We sent an electronic survey from June 2020-February 2021 to Moffitt Cancer Center patients who were 18-89 years old; 5,721 patients reported on demographic factors, perceived COVID-19 severity, recent flu shot status, and COVID-19 vaccine confidence/concerns. A COVID-19 risk mitigation score was calculated by summing the frequency of five behaviors (e.g., mask wearing). Age and zip code to assess Area Deprivation Index (ADI) were extracted from medical records. The outcome was COVID-19 vaccine acceptance ("Now that a COVID-19 vaccine is available, are you likely to get it?"¬ù) categorized as high (already received it, would get it when available) and low accepters (waiting for a doctor to recommend it, waiting until more people receive it, not likely to get). We conducted Chi-square tests to assess differences of vaccine acceptance with vaccine confidence and concerns and multivariable logistic regression to evaluate odds of vaccine acceptance by sociodemographic factors. Most patients (86.7%) were high accepters. High vs. low accepters had more confidence that the vaccine was effective and safe (p<0.001) and were less likely to have concerns about vaccine effectiveness, side effects and interactions with medications (p<0.001). Older individuals (70-89 vs. 18-49 OR=2.53, 95%CI=1.31-4.86), high perceived COVID-19 severity (vs. low OR=2.71, 95%CI=1.87-3.92), high risk mitigation behavioral score (OR=1.75, 95%CI=1.57-1.94) and receiving the flu shot (vs. not received OR=6.44, 95%CI=5.16-8.03) were associated with a higher odds of vaccine acceptance. Individuals living with >1 other person (vs. alone OR=0.52, 95%CI=0.35-0.77) and higher ADI (living in an area with greater deprivation) (OR=0.89, 95%CI=0.85-0.93) had lower odds of vaccine acceptance. Other demographic factors were not associated with acceptance. Our study shows that most cancer patients had high COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and those with low acceptance reported multiple concerns about the vaccine. Interventions for vaccine uptake in cancer patients should focus on those not previously receiving a flu shot, younger age and higher ADI.
Keywords: aCOVID-19, vaccine, cancer patients