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. 2023 Nov 23;13(1):20610.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-47106-8.

COVID-19 vaccine uptake among people with HIV: identifying characteristics associated with vaccine hesitancy

Karol Boschung  1 , M John Gill  1   2 , Hartmut B Krentz  1   2 , Jessica Dalere  2 , Brenda Beckthold  2 , Kevin Fonseca  3   4 , Jeffrey A Bakal  5   6 , Jacqueline M McMillan  1   2   5 , Jamil Kanji  1   3   7   8 , Raynell Lang  9   10   11
Affiliations

COVID-19 vaccine uptake among people with HIV: identifying characteristics associated with vaccine hesitancy

Karol Boschung et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

People with HIV (PWH) are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection. Both Canadian (NACI) and US (CDC) guidelines recommend that all PWH receive at least 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and a booster. We examined vaccination uptake among PWH in Southern Alberta, Canada. Among adult PWH, we evaluated COVID-19 vaccination uptake between December 2020 and August 2022. Poisson regression models with robust variance (approximating log binomial models) estimated crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for receiving (1) any vs. no vaccine, and (2) primary series with booster (≥ 3 vaccines) versus primary series without booster. Among 1885 PWH, 10% received no COVID-19 vaccinations, 37% < 3 vaccines and 54% received ≥ 3 vaccines. Females (vs. males) were less likely to receive a vaccine booster. Receiving no COVID-19 vaccines was associated with White ethnicity, unsuppressed HIV viral load (> 200 copies/mL), and using illegal substances. Factors associated with decreased booster uptake included being younger, Black (vs. White) ethnicity, substance use, lower educational attainment, and having an unsuppressed HIV viral load. COVID-19 booster uptake among PWH does not meet vaccine guidelines, and receipt of vaccines is unevenly distributed. Booster uptake is lowest among young females and marginalized individuals. Focused outreach is necessary to close this gap.

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Conflict of interest statement

M.J.G. has in last five years received honoraria as an ad hoc member of national HIV advisory boards to Merck Gilead and ViiV. All other authors have no competing interests to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Inclusion and exclusion criteria for the study population.
Figure 2
Figure 2
COVID-19 vaccine uptake by sex among people with HIV active in care at Southern Alberta Clinic.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) COVID-19 booster uptake compared with any vaccine uptake among PWH of different ages. (b) COVID-19 booster uptake compared with any vaccine uptake among PWH of different race/ethnicities by sex.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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