COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors

JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2021 Jun 29;5(3):Pkab049. doi: 10.1093/jncics/pkab049. eCollection 2021 Jun.

Abstract

The study objective was to identify sociodemographic and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) factors that are associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors. Eligible participants were 18 years or older and were diagnosed with cancer as an AYA (ages 15-39 years) and received services through an AYA cancer program. A total of 342 participants completed a cross-sectional survey. Our primary outcome-COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy-was surveyed as a 5-point Likert scale and operationalized as a binary outcome (agree vs hesitant). A large proportion of participants reported COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (37.1%). In the multivariable regression, female survivors (odds ratio = 1.81, 95% confidence interval = 1.10 to 2.98) and survivors with a high school education or less (odds ratio = 3.15, 95% confidence interval = 1.41 to 7.04) reported higher odds of vaccine hesitancy compared with their male or college graduate or higher counterparts. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy persists among AYA survivors despite their recommended priority vaccination status and higher chances of severe COVID-19 outcomes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • COVID-19 / immunology*
  • COVID-19 / psychology
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • COVID-19 Vaccines / immunology*
  • Cancer Survivors / psychology*
  • Cancer Survivors / statistics & numerical data
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Educational Status
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Neoplasms / psychology
  • Pandemics / prevention & control
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / physiology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Vaccination / psychology
  • Vaccination / statistics & numerical data
  • Vaccination Hesitancy / psychology*
  • Vaccination Hesitancy / statistics & numerical data
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines