Vaccine hesitancy in an allergy and immunology clinic in an underserved community

TL;DR

This study found that White patients in an allergy and immunology clinic were more likely to be vaccine-hesitant compared to minority groups, challenging common assumptions about vaccine hesitancy.

Contribution

The study challenges the assumption that minority groups are more vaccine-hesitant by showing lower hesitancy rates among non-White patients in an underserved community.

Findings

39 out of 338 patients (11.54%) refused both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines.

Self-identified non-White patients were less likely to be vaccine-hesitant compared to White patients (odds ratio, 0.41).

Ethnicity was significantly associated with vaccine hesitancy, while sex, age, and language were not.

Abstract

Allergy and immunology patients may be immunocompromised and at higher risk for infections. Identifying vaccine-hesitant groups is essential to protecting these individuals and those at risk in the community.

We analyzed patient characteristics and factors associated with influenza and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy in a clinic in a diverse community.

Vaccination history and demographic information were collected as part of intake questionnaires from 338 new patients presenting to an outpatient allergy/immunology clinic from March 2023 to February 2024. Data were analyzed by Microsoft Excel and RStudio.

There were 94 men and 244 women (median [range] age, 41 [18-93] years). Ethnicities included 126 White (37.2%), 107 Hispanic (31.6%), 64 Asian (18.9%), and 41 Black (12.1%). English primary language speakers comprised 80% of the patient group. In this study, 39 subjects (11.54%) refused both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines; of these 39, the distribution in each category was as follows: 22 White (17.5%), 12 Hispanic (11.4%), 3 Asian (4.76%), and 2 Black (4.9%). Sex, age, and language were not significantly associated with vaccine refusal rate. Ethnicity was found to be significant. In our study, self-identified non-White patients were less likely to demonstrate vaccine hesitancy than the self-identified White patient group (odds ratio, 0.41; 95% confidence interval, 0.21-0.81).

Many publications report minorities are more prone to vaccine hesitancy, hindering herd immunity. Odds ratios for refusal of both vaccines were lower for minorities in this studied population. Focusing efforts on all patients may enhance vaccination initiatives.

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