Hesitancy to Receive the Booster Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Among Cancer Patients in China: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Survey - Four PLADs, China, 2022

China CDC Wkly. 2023 Mar 10;5(10):223-228. doi: 10.46234/ccdcw2023.041.

Abstract

What is already known about this topic?: Cancer patients are more vulnerable and have higher mortality rates from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) than the general population; however, coverage for booster doses of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine was low among cancer patients in China.

What is added by this report?: Overall, 32.0% and 56.4% of cancer patients from four Provincial Level Administrative Divisions (PLADs) expressed hesitancy toward the first and second booster doses, respectively. Factors negatively associated with hesitancy to receive booster doses included positive attitudes, perceived support, and higher exposure to COVID-19 vaccination information. Conversely, postvaccination fatigue was positively associated with vaccine hesitancy.

What are the implications for public health practice?: Improved COVID-19 vaccination coverage is needed to promote health for cancer patients.

Keywords: Booster Doses; COVID-19 Vaccine; Cancer Patients; Vaccine Hesitancy.

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81872674), the Joint Foundation of Innovative Environment Construction of Autonomous Region of Xinjiang (#2019D01C326), and the Four “Batches” Innovation Project of Invigorating Medical Cause through Science and Technology of Shanxi Province (2022XM45), Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee Projects (No. JCYJ20220818102817038), the Scientific Research Foundation of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital (No. KYQD2022216)