COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Moroccan chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease patients

Imane Bensaghir 1, *, Hanan Rkain 1, 2, Ilham Aachari 1, Latifa Tahiri 1, Youssef Bentaleb 3, Laila Benbrahim 4, Kenza Hassouni 5, Redouane Abouqal 6, Lahsen Achemlal 7, Laila Najdi 8, Najia Hajjaj-Hassouni 9 and Fadoua Allali 1

1 Department of Rheumatology B, El Ayachi Hospital, Ibn Sina Hospital Center, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco.
2 Exercise Physiology and Autonomous Nervous System Team, Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco.
3 Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco.
4 Day clinic, delegation of the Ministry of Health to the prefecture of Rabat, Regional Hospital Center, Rabat, Morocco.
5 International School of Public Health, Mohammed VI University of Health Sciences, Casablanca, Morocco.
6 Hospital Medical Emergencies Service (UMH), Ibn Sina Hospital Center, Epidemiology and Clinical Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco.
7 Department of Rheumatology, Mohammed V Military Instruction Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco.
8 Moroccan Association of Polyarthritic and Spondyloarthritic Patients (AMPS), Casablanca, Morocco.
9 International University of Rabat (UIR), Rabat, Morocco.
 
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2024, 22(03), 236–244
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2024.22.3.1709
 
Publication history: 
Received on 26 April 2024; revised on 04 June 2024; accepted on 06 June 2024
 
Abstract: 
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the general knowledge of Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Disease (CIRD) patients concerning Covid-19 vaccination and to analyse factors influencing the acceptance of the vaccine.
Methods: This cross-sectional study is based on a phone survey with anonymous data collection. It included consecutively adult Moroccan patients (aged more than 18 years) suffering from CIRD: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), spondyloarthropathy and undifferentiated CIRD.
Results: A total 321 participants responded to the questionnaire. The mean age of patients was 47.6±12 years and women represented 65.7% of the study population. One third of the respondents (30.8%) had a university degree.
Patients that accepted Covid-19 vaccination represented 34.6% of the cases. Older people were more likely to accept the vaccination (p=0.009). Subjects with a history of past Covid-19 infection were less willing to accept vaccination (0.003). Sufficient knowledge of Covid-19 vaccines efficiency and security was associated with higher acceptance of the vaccination. 58.9% of people who accepted the vaccination had been informed by their rheumatologist.
In multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with vaccine acceptance were past Covid-19 infection (p=0.01), the fact that Covid-19 vaccine was contraindicated in case of CIRD (p=0.02) and that it was recommended by the doctor (p<0.001)
Conclusion: This study reflected a low level of acceptance of Covid-19 vaccination among the CIRD population in Morocco. Information campaigns on Covid-19 vaccination are needed in order to improve vaccine acceptance.
 
Keywords: 
Covid-19; vaccination; Acceptance; Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Disease; Rheumatoid arthritis; Spondyloarthropathies.
 
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