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Strafford H, Lacey AS, Hollinghurst J, Akbari A, Watkins A, Paterson J, Jennings D, Lyons RA, Powell HR, Kerr MP, Chin RW, Pickrell WO. COVID-19 vaccination uptake in people with epilepsy in wales. Seizure 2023; 108:49-52. [PMID: 37080124 PMCID: PMC10076248 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2023.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE People with epilepsy (PWE) are at increased risk of severe COVID-19. Assessing COVID-19 vaccine uptake is therefore important. We compared COVID-19 vaccination uptake for PWE in Wales with a matched control cohort. METHODS We performed a retrospective, population, cohort study using linked, anonymised, Welsh electronic health records within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank (Welsh population=3.1 million).We identified PWE in Wales between 1st March 2020 and 31st December 2021 and created a control cohort using exact 5:1 matching (sex, age and socioeconomic status). We recorded 1st, 2nd and booster COVID-19 vaccinations. RESULTS There were 25,404 adults with epilepsy (127,020 controls). 23,454 (92.3%) had a first vaccination, 22,826 (89.9%) a second, and 17,797 (70.1%) a booster. Comparative figures for controls were: 112,334 (87.8%), 109,057 (85.2%) and 79,980 (62.4%).PWE had higher vaccination rates in all age, sex and socioeconomic subgroups apart from booster uptake in older subgroups. Vaccination rates were higher in older subgroups, women and less deprived areas for both cohorts. People with intellectual disability and epilepsy had higher vaccination rates when compared with controls with intellectual disability. CONCLUSIONS COVID-19 vaccination uptake for PWE in Wales was higher than that for a matched control group.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Strafford
- Neurology Research Group, Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK.
| | - A S Lacey
- Neurology Research Group, Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK
| | - J Hollinghurst
- Neurology Research Group, Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK
| | - A Akbari
- Neurology Research Group, Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK
| | - A Watkins
- Neurology Research Group, Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK
| | - J Paterson
- Epilepsy Action, New Anstey House, Gate Way Drive, Yeadon, Leeds, England, UK
| | - D Jennings
- Epilepsy Action, New Anstey House, Gate Way Drive, Yeadon, Leeds, England, UK
| | - R A Lyons
- Neurology Research Group, Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK
| | - H R Powell
- Neurology Research Group, Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK; Morriston Hospital, Swansea Bay University Health Board, Swansea, Wales, UK
| | - M P Kerr
- Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - R W Chin
- Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Department of Child Life and Health, The University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK; Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - W O Pickrell
- Neurology Research Group, Swansea University Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK; Morriston Hospital, Swansea Bay University Health Board, Swansea, Wales, UK
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