Background/Purpose: Vaccination against preventable infections is widely recommended for patients with systemic rheumatic disease. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted variability in attitudes toward vaccination, particularly with the use of novel vaccine platforms. We studied attitudes toward vaccination against COVID-19 and other preventable infections among patients with systemic rheumatic disease, and compared these against the general population.

Methods: We invited a convenience sample of patients treated for systemic rheumatic disease at an academic medical center in MA to complete a secure web-based survey or paper survey in English or Spanish, 12/2020-4/2021. The survey covered self-reported race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, rheumatic disease diagnoses and treatments, comorbidities relevant to risk of severe COVID-19, prior infections, prior vaccination, COVID-19 infection, and vaccination against COVID-19. We included survey questions used in the nationwide Harris Poll (2/2021, n=2043 respondents), allowing comparison of responses to the general population. Response frequencies were summarized with descriptive statistics and compared using Chi square tests.

Results: Of 243 participants (25% response rate), mean age was 56 years, 82% were women, 67% White, 16% Asian, 10% Black; 13% identified as Latinx (Table 1). Rheumatoid arthritis (50%), systemic lupus erythematosus (28%), and psoriatic arthritis (13%) were the most common diagnoses. 88% were currently taking an immunomodulator. 30% had previously been hospitalized for any type of infection. 76% worried a lot or somewhat about contracting COVID-19. Attitudes toward vaccination were very favorable, with 92% having received a flu shot in the past year and 84% desiring a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible compared to 42% of Harris Poll respondents (p< 0.001). Intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (yes vs. no/not sure) did not differ by immunomodulator use (p=0.99), race (p=0.16), or Latinx ethnicity (p=0.10) (Table 2). Physician recommendation to receive a vaccine (90%) and desire to avoid infection (70%) were the most common reasons for previously receiving vaccines. Among the 11% of participants that had declined a vaccine in the past, reasons included concerns about possible flare of rheumatic disease, concerns about safety, not believing in getting vaccines, previous adverse reaction to vaccines, and allergy.

Conclusion: Vaccine acceptability, including toward COVID-19 vaccines, was high among this population of systemic rheumatic disease patients seen at an academic medical center cohort. Physician recommendation is a key factor for vaccine uptake.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/acceptability-of-vaccines-against-covid-19-and-other-preventable-infections-among-patients-with-rheumatic-disease/