Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Hesitancy among People with HIV in Freetown, Sierra Leone: A Cross-Sectional Study

Peterlyn E. Cummings; Sulaiman Lakoh; Sahr A. Yendewa; Samuel P.E. Massaquoi; Peter B. James; Foday Sahr; Gibrilla F Deen; Robert A. Salata; Pelema Gevao; George Yendwa

doi:10.3390/vaccines11111685

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Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Hesitancy among People with HIV in Freetown, Sierra Leone: A Cross-Sectional Study

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Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Hesitancy among People with HIV in Freetown, Sierra Leone: A Cross-Sectional Study

Peterlyn E. Cummings, Sulaiman Lakoh, Sahr A. Yendewa, Samuel P.E. Massaquoi, Peter B. James, Foday Sahr, Gibrilla F Deen, Robert A. Salata, Pelema Gevao and George Yendwa

Vaccines, Vol.11(11), 1685

02/11/2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11111685

Appears in Recent National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine Publications

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Abstract

COVID-19

vaccination

HIV

Sierra Leone

Hesitancy

Public health

Infectious diseases

People with HIV (PWH) incur a higher risk of COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality rates, yet less is known about COVID-19 vaccine uptake and hesitancy in this group. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from April to June 2022, using the VAX scale, a validated instrument, to assess attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination and calculate the hesitancy (VAX) scores. We used generalized linear models to identify the factors associated with vaccine hesitancy. Overall, 490 PWH were enrolled (71.4% female, median age: 38 years, median CD4 count: 412 cells/mm 3). About 17.3% received ≥1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The mean VAX score was 43.14 ± 7.05, corresponding to 59.9% participants being vaccine-hesitant. A preference for natural immunity (65.8%) and concerns about profiteering (64.4%) were the commonest reasons for hesitancy , followed by a mistrust of vaccine benefits (61.4%) and worries about future effects (48.0%). In the adjusted regression analysis, being a Muslim (β = 2.563, p < 0.001) and having an urban residence (β = 1.709, p = 0.010) were associated with greater vaccine hesitancy, while testing for COVID-19 was associated with reduced vaccine hesitancy (β = −3.417, p = 0.027). These findings underscore the importance of addressing vaccine hesitancy as a critical element boosting COVID-19 vaccine uptake among PWH.

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Title: Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Hesitancy among People with HIV in Freetown, Sierra Leone: A Cross-Sectional Study
Creators: Peterlyn E. Cummings (Author) - University of Sierra Leone
Sulaiman Lakoh (Author) - University of Sierra Leone
Sahr A. Yendewa (Author) - Ministry of Health and Sanitation
Samuel P.E. Massaquoi (Author) - Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Peter B. James (Author) - Southern Cross University
Foday Sahr (Author) - University of Sierra Leone
Gibrilla F Deen (Author) - University of Sierra Leone
Robert A. Salata (Author) - Case Western Reserve University
Pelema Gevao (Author) - University of Sierra Leone
George Yendwa (Corresponding Author) - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Baltimore, USA)
Publication Details: Vaccines, Vol.11(11), 1685
Publisher: MDPI
Grants: Roe Green Center for Travel Medicine and Global Health/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, J0713, Roe Green Center for Travel Medicine and Global Health/University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
University Hospitals Minority Faculty Career Development Award, P0603, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
National Institutes of Health (NIH)/AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), AI068636 (1560GYD212), National Institutes of Health/AIDS Clinical Trials Group
Identifiers: 991013143309602368
Copyright: © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Academic Unit: National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake and Hesitancy among People with HIV in Freetown, Sierra Leone: A Cross-Sectional Study

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