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Abstract Details
COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among people in Australia who inject drugs: Update from the 2021 Illicit Drug Reporting System interviews
Drug Alcohol Rev. 2022 Feb 20;10.1111/dar.13448. doi: 10.1111/dar.13448. Online ahead of print.
1National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
2Behaviours and Health Risks, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
3National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Melbourne, Australia.
4School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
5Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
6Harm Reduction Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.
7School of Psychological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
Abstract
People who inject drugs may be at higher risk of COVID-19 transmission and more severe negative health outcomes following COVID-19 infection. Early research on hypothetical COVID-19 vaccines suggests this population may be less likely to accept vaccination. This commentary extends this research by presenting vaccine intention data from Illicit Drug Reporting System interviews conducted in June-July 2021, in the early stages of vaccine rollout, with people in Australia who inject drugs (N = 888). Half the sample (48%, n = 419) reported that they were hesitant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, with key barriers relating to vaccine safety and side effect concerns. This level of hesitancy is substantially higher than that of the general population at a similar time. While we note that the subsequent Delta variant-driven third wave of cases in Australia and efforts to increase population vaccination coverage may have altered intent in this group, this level of hesitancy warrants a targeted strategy to mitigate vaccine-related concerns and maximise uptake. Ideally, this should comprise an inclusive health response that is peer-led, with peer-based organisations ideally positioned to direct immunisation service delivery and provide vaccine-related messaging.