An update on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic public awareness on cancer patients' COVID-19 vaccine compliance: Outcomes and recommendations

Abstract

Background:Aside from the pandemic's negative health effects, the world was confronted with public confusion since proper communication and favorable decisions became an ongoing challenge. As a result, the public's perceptions were influenced by what they knew, the many sources of COVID-19 information, and how they interpreted it. With cancer patients continuing to oppose COVID-19 vaccines, we sought to investigate the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine sources of this information in adult cancer patients, which either helped or prevented them from taking the vaccine. We also assessed the relevance and impact of their oncologists' recommendations in encouraging them to take the vaccine.MethodsFrom June to October 2021, an online survey was conducted at King Hussein Cancer Center. A total of 441 adult cancer patients took part in the study. Patients who had granted their consent were requested to complete an online questionnaire, which was collected using the SurveyMonkey questionnaire online platform. Descriptive analysis was done for all variables. The association between categorical and continuous variables was assessed using the Pearson Chi-square and Fisher Exact.ResultsOur results showed that 75% of the patients registered for the COVID-19 vaccine, while 12% refused vaccination. The majority of participants acquired their information from news and television shows, whereas (138/441) got their information through World Health Organization websites. Because the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were made in such a short period, 54.7 % assumed the vaccines were unsafe. Only 49% of the patients said their oncologists had informed them about the benefits of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.ConclusionsWe found that SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy in cancer patients might be related to misinformation obtained from social media despite the availability of supportive scientific information on the vaccine's benefits from the physicians. To combat misleading and unreliable social media news, we recommend that physicians use telehealth technology to reach out to their patients in addition to their face-to-face consultation, which delivers comprehensive, clear, and high-quality digital services that guide and help patients to better understand the advantages of COVID-19 vaccines.

Prevalence and Assessment of Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in an Ethnic Minority Oncology Patient Population

“…In our study on cancer patients, 95% of the respondents were either Black or Hispanic, with 65% vaccinated and actively receiving treatment for their cancer during the crucial time of the initial rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in New York City. Overall, a large majority of our patients—79%—perceived that COVID-19 was risky and dangerous, and 65% considered the vaccines to be safe, similar to prior results in cancer patient studies [ 25 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 33 , 35 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. Other self-reported reasons for being vaccinated stated by our participants included protecting themselves, family, and friends, the collective good of ending the pandemic, and trust in the vaccine and science; again, these were very similar to previous studies in cancer patients and ethnic minorities [ 23 , 25 , 28 , 29 , 31 , 35 , 50 ].…”

“…Another area of interest was to examine where patients received their information from, and the impact of their educational backgrounds. Our study demonstrated that participants encountered a wide range of sources of information, from television and radio to online sources such as the internet and social media, along with family and friends, similar to prior research [ 43 ]. Additionally, a positive predictor of vaccination uptake as seen previously was having access to information about COVID-19 vaccines [ 26 , 33 , 44 ], and trusting medical advice on vaccination [ 29 , 35 , 39 ].…”

“…In contrast, when examining those who were unvaccinated or refused the vaccine, their main reasons were concerns about side effects (71%), that it was not needed (57%), and mistrust in the science of the vaccine (14%), which are similar to results from other studies [ 25 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 33 , 35 , 40 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. Among participants who answered that COVID-19 was not harmful (21% of the total, n = 11), 64% remained unvaccinated at the time of the initial survey.…”

“…This concern is further amplified if a patient with COVID-19 is not only unvaccinated but also has comorbidities such as cancer, predisposing them to higher risk of morbidity and mortality. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has been studied previously in cancer patients worldwide [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 32 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ] and in the United States [ 31 , 33 , 35 , 36 , 45 ], including multiple studies of ethnic minorities in the US [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ], but no known research exists specifically examining ethnic minority cancer patients and their views on the COVID-19 vaccine. This study helps address this gap in the knowledge by uniquely examining two different time-points of vaccination status 6-months post-initial survey, employing a vaccine knowledge score composite and exploring a brief educational intervention to raise patients’ awareness, to gain valuable insight into this distinctly disadvantaged population in the US.…”

“…Additionally, a positive predictor of vaccination uptake as seen previously was having access to information about COVID-19 vaccines [ 26 , 33 , 44 ], and trusting medical advice on vaccination [ 29 , 35 , 39 ]. Yet, only 60% trusted the information they had received, reflecting wide prior research [ 25 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 33 , 43 , 45 ], and highlighting concerns around the need to acquire more information [ 21 , 46 , 47 , 49 , 50 , 51 ]. These results present another avenue where increased awareness of the issue can help alleviate this problem, and suggest that a focus on correcting misinformation may help increase vaccination rates.…”