Dietze PM, Hall C, Price O, Stewart AC, Crawford S, Peacock A, Maher L. COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among people in Australia who inject drugs: Implications for vaccine rollout.
Drug Alcohol Rev 2021;
41:484-487. [PMID:
34752659 PMCID:
PMC8653113 DOI:
10.1111/dar.13399]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Introduction
Vaccine acceptability is a key determinant of vaccination uptake. Despite being at risk of adverse outcomes from coronavirus‐19 disease (COVID‐19), COVID‐19 vaccine acceptability among people who inject drugs is unknown. We surveyed people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia to assess potential uptake of COVID‐19 vaccines prior to distribution.
Methods
Cross‐sectional study, comprising interviewer‐administered structured telephone interviews completed from 30 November to 22 December 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. Participants were people aged 18 years or older who injected drugs at least monthly in the past 6 months and had resided in Melbourne in the past 12 months recruited via needle‐syringe programs and word‐of‐mouth.
Measurements
COVID‐19 hypothetical vaccine acceptability, participants' demographic, drug use and drug treatment characteristics.
Results
Fifty‐eight percent (57/99) of the sample reported that they would definitely or probably be vaccinated for COVID‐19, with the remainder indicating that they would not (22%) or were undecided (20%). Among those who indicated that they would definitely or probably not be vaccinated or were undecided (n = 42), safety concerns were most often cited as a reason for not wanting to be vaccinated.
Discussion and Conclusions
Although a majority of sampled people who inject drugs indicated that they would definitely or probably be vaccinated, efforts to reduce hesitancy and allay COVID‐19 vaccine safety concerns will be necessary to optimise vaccine uptake among this population.
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