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. 2024 Apr 15:11:20543581241242550.
doi: 10.1177/20543581241242550. eCollection 2024.

Perceptions and Information-Seeking Behavior Regarding COVID-19 Vaccination Among Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease in 2023: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Omosomi Enilama  1   2   3 , Cynthia MacDonald  3 , Pearl Thompson  3 , Umair Khan  3 , Selina Allu  3   4 , Mary Beaucage  3 , Kevin Yau  5   6 , Matthew J Oliver  5   7 , Michelle A Hladunewich  5   7 , Adeera Levin  2   3   8   9   10
Affiliations

Perceptions and Information-Seeking Behavior Regarding COVID-19 Vaccination Among Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease in 2023: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Omosomi Enilama et al. Can J Kidney Health Dis. .

Abstract

Background: People living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) face an increased risk of severe outcomes such as hospitalization or death from COVID-19. COVID-19 vaccination is a vital approach to mitigate the risk and severity of infection in patients with CKD. Limited information exists regarding the factors that shape COVID-19 vaccine uptake, including health information-seeking behavior and perceptions, within the CKD population.

Objective: The objectives were to describe among CKD patients, (1) health information-seeking behavior on COVID-19, (2) their capacity to comprehend and trust COVID-19 information from different sources, and (3) their perceptions concerning COVID-19 infection and vaccination.

Design/setting: Cross-sectional web-based survey administered in British Columbia and Ontario from February 17, 2023, to April 17, 2023.

Participants: Chronic kidney disease G3b-5D patients and kidney transplant recipients (CKD G1T-5T) enrolled in a longitudinal COVID-19 vaccine serology study.

Methods and measurements: The survey consisted of a questionnaire that included demographic and clinical data, perceived susceptibility of contracting COVID-19, the ability to collect, understand, and trust information on COVID-19, as well as perceptions regarding COVID-19 vaccination. Descriptive statistics were used to present the data with values expressed as count (%) and chi square tests were performed with a significance level set at P ≤ .05. A content analysis was performed on one open-ended response regarding respondents' questions surrounding COVID-19 infection and vaccination.

Results: Among the 902 patients who received the survey via email, 201 completed the survey, resulting in a response rate of 22%. The median age was 64 years old (IQR 53-74), 48% were male, 51% were university educated, 32% were on kidney replacement therapies, and 57% had received ≥5 COVID-19 vaccine doses. 65% of respondents reported that they had sought out COVID-19-related information in the last 12 months, with 91% and 84% expressing having understood and trusted the information they received, respectively. Those with a higher number of COVID-19 vaccine doses were associated with having sought out (P =.017), comprehended (P < .001), and trusted (P =. 005) COVID-19-related information. Female sex was associated with expressing more concern about contracting COVID-19 (P = .011). Most respondents strongly agreed to statements regarding the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination. Respondents' questions about COVID-19 infection and vaccination centered on 4 major themes: COVID-19 vaccination strategy, vaccine effectiveness, vaccine safety, and the impact of COVID-19 infection and vaccination on kidney health.

Limitations: This survey was administered within the Canadian health care context to patients with CKD who had at least 1 COVID-19 vaccine dose. Race/ethnicity of participants was not captured.

Conclusions: In this survey of individuals with CKD, COVID-19 information-seeking behavior was high and almost all respondents understood and trusted the information they received. Perceptions toward the COVID-19 vaccine and booster were mostly favorable.

Keywords: Canadian; chronic kidney disease; dialysis; kidney transplantation; survey.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: M.J.O. and M.H. are contracted Medical Leads at Ontario Renal Network, Ontario Health. M.J.O. is the owner of Oliver Medical Management Inc, which licenses Dialysis Management Analysis and Reporting System software. He has received honoraria for speaking from Baxter Healthcare. A.L. reports being a scientific advisor to, or member of, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Canadian Journal of Kidney Health and Disease, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Certa, Chinook Therapeutics, Johnson and Johnson, Kidney Foundation of Canada, National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Otsuka, Reata, Retrophin, and The George Institute; receiving research funding from AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Canadian Institute of Health Research, Janssen, Johnson and Johnson, Kidney Foundation of Canada, Merck, NIDDK, NIH, Ortho Biotech, Otsuka, and Oxford Clinical Trials; having consultancy agreements with Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Johnson and Johnson/Jansen, Reata, and Retrophin. No other competing interests were declared.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Sources of COVID-19-related information among patients with chronic kidney disease.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Concern regarding contracting COVID-19 among patients with chronic kidney disease by sex (P = .011).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Perceptions toward COVID-19 vaccination among patients with chronic kidney disease.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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