Vaccination and Trust in the National Health System among HIV+ Patients: An Italian Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practises (KAP) of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) regarding vaccines and their trust in the Italian national health system (NHS). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at Amedeo di Savoia Hospital in Turin, Italy, involving 160 HIV-positive patients. Descriptive statistics were utilised to analyse variables such as vaccination status and intention, perceived risk of infection, and disease severity. The infections were categorised into sexually transmitted diseases and other vaccine-preventable diseases. Results: Except for the perceived severity of infection, there were no significant differences in the percentages between the two infection groups for the variables examined. Concerning patients’ perception of the Italian NHS, a high percentage of the sample believed in the information provided by healthcare workers (HCWs) (95.6%) and considered HCWs up-to-date on vaccines (93.1%). However, a considerable proportion expressed concerns about insufficient information on vaccine risks from HCWs (33.3%), perceived judgement by HCWs for vaccine refusal (40.3%), and suspected financial interests of HCWs in vaccination (19.5%). Conclusions: Some HIV+ patients may hesitate to be vaccinated or hold misconceptions about the severity of certain infectious diseases. Additionally, there are concerns about trust in the Italian NHS and communication by HCWs.