Dig Dis Sci. 2022 Feb 17;1-5. doi: 10.1007/s10620-022-07413-y. Online ahead of print.

Howard S Herman ¹, Max P Rosenthaler ², Noon Elhassan ³, Janice M Weinberg ³, Venkata R Satyam ⁴, Sharmeel K Wasan ⁴

Author information

¹Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. howard.herman@bmc.org.

²Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.

³Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.

⁴Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.

Abstract

Background and aims: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and underrepresented minorities (URMs) historically have below average vaccination rates. URMs have increased morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. We surveyed IBD patients to assess COVID vaccination attitudes, particularly among URMs.

Methods: In May and June 2021, all 822 adult patients with IBD, medically homed at a tertiary IBD referral center and safety net hospital, and with access to the electronic patient portal, were sent an electronic survey assessing their attitudes regarding COVID-19 vaccination. An additional 115 without access to the patient portal were contacted by phone. Demographic and clinical data were recorded. The primary outcome was vaccination hesitancy, defined as: likely will become vaccinated later this year, but not immediately; unsure if they will get the vaccine; or do not want the vaccine. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of factors associated with vaccination intent.

Results: The mean age was 46.6 years (SD 15.1). 210/1029 patients responded to the survey: 150/822 (18.2%) electronically and 60/115 (52.2%) by phone. Overall vaccine hesitancy rate was 11.9%, significantly higher in younger (aOR for 10-year increments, 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46-0.90, p = 0.011), Hispanic (aOR, 7.67; 95% CI, 2.99-21.3, p < 0.0002), and Black patients (aOR, 3.52; 95% CI 1.11-11.1, p = 0.050). Safety concerns were the most cited reasons for vaccine hesitancy.

Conclusions: URM patients were more vaccine hesitant. Future studies should further explore factors leading to lower vaccination rates among these groups and strategies to improve COVID-19 vaccination rates.