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. 2023 Feb;225(2):357-361.
doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2022.08.021. Epub 2022 Sep 1.

Barriers to Coronavirus Disease 19 vaccination in patients with obesity

Mehmet Celal Kizilkaya  1 , Sarah Sabrine Kilic  2 , Deniz Oncel  3 , Swati Mamidanna  4 , Vasudev Daliparty  5 , Serhan Yilmaz  1 , Mehmet Abdussamet Bozkurt  1 , Osman Sibic  1 , Mutlay Sayan  6
Affiliations

Barriers to Coronavirus Disease 19 vaccination in patients with obesity

Mehmet Celal Kizilkaya et al. Am J Surg. 2023 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Patients with obesity are at a high risk of severe disease and death from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Vaccination offers a safe and effective means of reducing this risk. The rate of COVID-19 vaccine refusal in patients with obesity is unknown.

Methods: Patients with obesity were administered validated questionnaires assessing COVID-19 fear, general vaccine hesitancy, and COVID-19-specific vaccine hesitancy.

Results: 507 participants completed the study. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was high: Fifteen percent of patients refused COVID-19 vaccine. Hesitancy related to other vaccines was also high: Eight percent of patients refused a vaccine in the past, and 15% delayed a vaccine. Fear of side effects and doubts regarding effectiveness were the most common reasons for vaccine refusal.

Conclusions: Despite high risk for complications, vaccine hesitancy is high among patients with obesity. Targeted public health interventions are critical to reduce vaccine hesitancy and improve vaccination rates.

Keywords: COVID-19; Obesity; Vaccination; Vaccine hesitancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest None.

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