COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among Americans with disabilities aged 18-65: An exploratory analysis

Abstract

Background It is important for people with disabilities to be vaccinated against COVID-19 because, as a group, they are at increased risk of severe outcomes. While there are multiple vaccines available to prevent COVID-19, a considerable proportion of Americans report some hesitancy to becoming vaccinated, including people with disabilities. Objective We conducted a study to explore what factors may contribute to COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among Americans with disabilities. Methods We used Amazon's Mechanical Turk to survey 439 people with disabilities (ages 18+) about their concerns of the COVID-19 disease, vaccines, and hesitancy toward vaccination to learn more about factors that influence vaccination hesitancy. Concerns about vaccines were analyzed as a composite variable representing different dimensions such as: side effects, too new, developed too quickly, influenced by politics, and effectiveness. Results Results from a logistic regression indicate that concern about vaccines was the most significant predictor of hesitancy, even after considering demographic, economic, and geographic factors. Concerns about getting COVID-19, getting tested for COVID-19, trust in experts, education, and being a Democrat were negatively associated with hesitancy. Conclusions These findings indicate that some groups of individuals may be more vaccination hesitant because they are more concerned about vaccine safety than COVID-19 infection. Public health messaging that focuses on the risks of vaccines relative to the risks of COVID-19 might be one strategy to reduce hesitancy and increase vaccination uptake. Messaging should also be tailored to specific disabilities (i.e. physical, mental, sensory), written in plain language, and disseminated in accessible formats.

Reasons for COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy in individuals with chronic health conditions

“…In an online survey of 439 individuals with disabilities, concern about the COVID-19 vaccines, including concerns for safety and possible side effects, was the largest predictor of vaccine hesitancy among 25% of the sample. 5 Similar findings were seen in large studies of people with developmental or intellectual disabilities and their caregivers, who expressed concerns about side effects and the speed at which vaccines were developed were the primary contributors for not getting a vaccine. 4 Individuals with chronic health conditions are at a higher risk for COVID-19 incidence, severity, and mortality.…”

Explainable Machine Learning Approaches to Assess the COVID-19 Vaccination Uptake: Social, Political, and Economic Aspects

“…The willingness of being vaccinated fluctuates in response to seasonal variation, data indicate that willingness decreases in summer weather increases in winter [37]. Disabled people are less hesitant than the general population [38]. Individuals having lower socioeconomic status bear higher vulnerability to vaccination [39].…”

People with disabilities, community living, and COVID-19

“… 4 Disparities in access and use of the internet have been amplified by the pandemic. 5 And vaccine hesitancy among people with IDD and their family members and caregivers are low in New York State, 6 supporting the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions publication reporting low vaccine hesitancy and low vaccination rates among people with disability in general, indicating possible access barriers. 7 …”