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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: aliasadipooya@yahoo.com
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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.

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