RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Preferences for COVID-19 vaccination in people with chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP jrheum.220697
DO 10.3899/jrheum.220697
A1 Glen S.  Hazlewood
A1 Ines Colmegna
A1 Carol Hitchon
A1 Paul R.  Fortin
A1 Sasha Bernatsk
A1 Ann E.  Clarke
A1 Dianne Mosher
A1 Todd Wilson
A1 Megan Thomas
A1 Claire Barber
A1 Mark Harrison
A1 Nick Bansback
A1 Laurie Proulx
A1 Dawn P.  Richards
A1 Gilaad G.  Kaplan
YR 2023
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2023/01/10/jrheum.220697.abstract
AB Objective To understand how people with chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) trade-off the benefits and risks of COVID-19 vaccine options. Methods We conducted an online discrete-choice experiment in people with IMIDs to quantify the relative importance of attributes relevant to COVID-19 vaccination. Participants were recruited between May-Aug 2021 through patient groups and clinics in Canada and completed 10 choices where they selected one of 2 hypothetical vaccine options or no vaccine. The relative importance (RI) of each attribute was estimated and heterogeneity was explored through latent class analysis. Results The survey was completed by 551 people (89% female, mean age 46 years) with a range of IMIDs (48% IBD, 38% RA, 16% SLE). Most had received one (94%) or two (64%) vaccines. Across the ranges of levels considered, vaccine effectiveness was most important (RI = 66%), followed by disease flare (21%), rare but serious risks (9%) and number/timing of shots (4%). Patients would accept a risk of disease flare requiring a treatment change of 8.8% or less, for a vaccine with a small absolute increase in effectiveness (10%). Of the three latent classes, the group with the greatest aversion to disease flare were more likely to be male and have lower incomes, but this group still valued effectiveness higher than other attributes. Conclusion Patients perceived the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination to outweigh rare serious risks and disease flare. This supports COVID-19 vaccine strategies that maximize effectiveness, while recognizing the heterogeneity in preferences that exists.