tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Mult Scler Relat Disord
. 2023 Apr 7;74:104707.
doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104707. Online ahead of print.
Experiences of persons with multiple sclerosis with the Covid-19 vaccination: A cross-sectional study of the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry
Mina Stanikić[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eric Twomey[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Milo A Puhan[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Christian P Kamm[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Anke Salmen[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Vladeta Ajdacic-Gross[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Chiara Zecca[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Claudio Gobbi[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Viktor von Wyl[SUP] 8 [/SUP]; Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: Despite strong recommendations for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination by multiple sclerosis (MS) organizations, some persons with MS (pwMS) remain vaccine hesitant. The Swiss MS Registry conducted a survey to explore Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy, self-reported side effects and changes in MS symptoms following vaccination in adult pwMS.
Methods: Self-reported data were analyzed cross-sectionally. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore participant characteristics associated with Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy.
Results: Of 849 respondents, 73 (8.6%) were unvaccinated. Hesitation to vaccinate was most often a personal preference (N = 42, 57.53%). Factors negatively associated with vaccine hesitancy included older age (OR = 0.97 per year, 95% CI [0.94, 0.99]) and regularly seeing healthcare professionals (OR = 0.25, 95% CI [0.07, 0.85]). A history of confirmed Covid-19 infection (OR = 3.38, 95% CI [1.69, 6.77]) and being underweight (OR = 4.50, 95% CI [1.52, 13.36]) were positively associated with vaccine hesitancy. Of 768 participants who provided information, 320 (41.2%) and 351 (45.2%) reported vaccination side effects after the first and second vaccinations, respectively. Changes in MS symptoms were reported by 49 (6.3%) participants after the first and 67 (9.0%) participants after the second vaccination, and were most often described as increased or new-onset fatigue (N = 17/49 (34.7%) after the first and N = 21/67 (31.3%) after the second dose).
Conclusions: Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy was low among surveyed pwMS. The risk of vaccine hesitancy was higher among younger pwMS, those with a history of Covid-19 infection, and those without regular contact with healthcare professionals.
Keywords: Covid-19; Multiple sclerosis; Side effects; Vaccination; Vaccine hesitancy.
. 2023 Apr 7;74:104707.
doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104707. Online ahead of print.
Experiences of persons with multiple sclerosis with the Covid-19 vaccination: A cross-sectional study of the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry
Mina Stanikić[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eric Twomey[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Milo A Puhan[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Christian P Kamm[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Anke Salmen[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Vladeta Ajdacic-Gross[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Chiara Zecca[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Claudio Gobbi[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Viktor von Wyl[SUP] 8 [/SUP]; Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry
Affiliations
- PMID: 37068368
- DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104707
Abstract
Background: Despite strong recommendations for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination by multiple sclerosis (MS) organizations, some persons with MS (pwMS) remain vaccine hesitant. The Swiss MS Registry conducted a survey to explore Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy, self-reported side effects and changes in MS symptoms following vaccination in adult pwMS.
Methods: Self-reported data were analyzed cross-sectionally. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore participant characteristics associated with Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy.
Results: Of 849 respondents, 73 (8.6%) were unvaccinated. Hesitation to vaccinate was most often a personal preference (N = 42, 57.53%). Factors negatively associated with vaccine hesitancy included older age (OR = 0.97 per year, 95% CI [0.94, 0.99]) and regularly seeing healthcare professionals (OR = 0.25, 95% CI [0.07, 0.85]). A history of confirmed Covid-19 infection (OR = 3.38, 95% CI [1.69, 6.77]) and being underweight (OR = 4.50, 95% CI [1.52, 13.36]) were positively associated with vaccine hesitancy. Of 768 participants who provided information, 320 (41.2%) and 351 (45.2%) reported vaccination side effects after the first and second vaccinations, respectively. Changes in MS symptoms were reported by 49 (6.3%) participants after the first and 67 (9.0%) participants after the second vaccination, and were most often described as increased or new-onset fatigue (N = 17/49 (34.7%) after the first and N = 21/67 (31.3%) after the second dose).
Conclusions: Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy was low among surveyed pwMS. The risk of vaccine hesitancy was higher among younger pwMS, those with a history of Covid-19 infection, and those without regular contact with healthcare professionals.
Keywords: Covid-19; Multiple sclerosis; Side effects; Vaccination; Vaccine hesitancy.