The COVID‐19 vaccine intentions of Australian disability support workers

Abstract

Objectives : Describe perceptions of COVID‐19, COVID‐19 vaccines, information sources, and levels and reasons for vaccine hesitancy among disability support workers (DSWs). Methods : Cross‐sectional survey of 252 DSWs from across Australia, between early March and early April 2021. Perceptions of risk of COVID‐19; government and media representations; vaccination status (Y/N); vaccine intentions (when offered, delayed vaccinators, vaccine refusers); reasons for hesitancy; confidence in safety and efficacy of vaccine; and information sources. Results : At the time of the survey, fewer than 1% of DSWs had been vaccinated and 17% had been offered vaccination. Of those who had not had the vaccine, 47% said they would get it as soon as it was offered; 19% would not get the vaccine; 12% would have if required; 13% hadn't decided; and 8% would wait until it was available for a while. Reasons for hesitancy included inadequate safety data (70% delayed vaccinators, 79% vaccine refusers), side effects (63% delayed vaccinators, 58% refusers), and distrust in the government (17% delayed vaccinators, 52% refusers). DSWs most trusted sources of information were their own doctor, Chief Medical Officers, and governments. 61% believed that COVID‐19 will only stop if most of the community is vaccinated and 53% agreed the chances of them or their clients getting COVID‐19 would be reduced if they were vaccinated. Conclusions : Tailored information is needed to reduce vaccine hesitancy and increase confidence in COVID‐19 vaccines among DSWs. The importance of getting vaccinated to prevent COVID‐19 among people with disability should be emphasised.

The mental health and well‐being of adults with intellectual disability during theCOVID‐19 pandemic: A narrative review

“…A handful of studies focused on the health of staff supporting people with ID and, within those studies, have also explored the mental health and well‐being of the people they supported (Hewitt et al, 2020 ; Kavanagh et al, 2020 ; Lunsky, Bobbette, Chacra, et al, 2021 ; McMahon et al, 2020 ; Navas et al, 2020 ). These studies have consistently indicated an increase in aggression, challenges with behavior, an increase in mental health issues, and heightened social isolation and loneliness among the people they were supporting.…”

Healthcare Workers’ Attitudes towards Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…The last three studies from Europe (UK, Poland, and the Czech Republic) showed conflicting results regarding HCWs' acceptance of vaccine mandates for HCWs (acceptance rates: 6-75%) [37,40,57]. A generally supportive attitude was reported in a series of seven studies from the US, while data from two Australian studies revealed that Australian HCWs were divided about accepting COVID-19 vaccine mandates for HCWs [44][45][46][58][59][60][61][62][63]. In three studies (one from India, one from Mongolia, and one from Pakistan), most participants were in favor of vaccine mandates for COVID-19, while in another study from India, 60% of participants were against them [64][65][66][67].…”

COVID‐19: Evolving challenges and opportunities for residential and vocational intellectual disability service providers

“…In the context of the pandemic, the financial viability and sustainability of existing disability services into the future have been questioned in some quarters, and this line of questioning has inevitably also served to reduce the potential for any improvements to be forthcoming at this time (Bignal & Cassani, 2020 ; Kavanagh et al, 2020 ). While flexibility in funding mechanisms is needed (ANCOR Foundation and United Cerebral Palsy, 2021 ), vocational services largely bore the financial brunt of altered viability during lockdowns.…”

“…Underpinning any decision for continued service delivery within the COVID‐19 climate is the need for consideration of both service delivery approaches and the workforce itself—each of which is informed by the respective jurisdiction in response to the presence of the virus. In Australia, Kavanagh, Dimov, et al ( 2020 ) for example, captured the impacts for disability support professionals (DSPs) and identified that work place settings, similar to group homes, were not conducive to social distancing. However, the nature of support needs and health literacy of the people being supported, coupled with DSP knowledge about COVID‐19, infection control measures and varying levels of confidence with the use of PPE (personal protective equipment) still enabled them to engage in the required practice.…”