Vaccine rejection among HIV patients is similar to the general population in the United States

Posted on 01/21/2022 16:46 / Updated on 01/21/2022 16:47

HIV-positive patients are also vulnerable to false news about vaccines, although they are more at risk if they contract Covid-19 – (Credit: JAVIER TORRES/AFP)

Researchers at Rutgers University have found that living with HIV is not reason enough to convince people to get a vaccine in the United States. Although the vaccination rate for this audience is, numerically, slightly higher than the vaccination rate for the general population in the country, the profile of those who refuse to receive vaccinations among those living with HIV is similar to those who Reject the vaccine when the entire population is considered.

Young people, people of color and sexual minorities – including groups like gay, lesbian, transgender and intersex people – have often responded that they do not want the Covid-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, among the participants who claimed to have taken at least one of the doses, the majority were male, transgender, white and had been living with HIV longer. People with no viral load were more preferable to immunization.

For Berry N. Halketes, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health and lead research team, the findings suggest that the success of COVID-19 vaccination among HIV patients is more associated with continued access to health services than with feelings of vulnerability. Regarding the disease itself. According to him, it is critical that the authorities be able to “increase people’s access to and maintain the vaccine” even more when anticipating a scenario in which an annual booster dose is required.

According to Halkitis, this is based on fragmented communications and information dissemination initiatives. “It has become clear over time that a one-size-fits-all approach will not work for everyone, and people living with HIV/AIDS are no different, even if they are accustomed to public health messages,” he explained in a newspaper. Release.

The study authors advocate multiple pro-vaccination campaigns that understand the diverse sociodemographic backgrounds of the audience, provide a real understanding of the concerns of different communities, and work in partnership to address public indecision. The more access to high-quality information about vaccines, reliable health services, and professionals, the greater the chances of success in preventing possible infection with MERS-CoV and HIV.

The survey included 496 people living with HIV in the United States through online questionnaires between March and May 2021. At that time, 64% of them said they had received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. The results were evaluated by a team from the Center for the Study of Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention at the Rutgers School of Public Health.

Article Frequency and behavior of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in a national sample of people living with HIV It can be read in full (in English) on .’s website Mary Ann Lippert, Inc..