Substance use and other factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine uptake among people at risk for or living with HIV: Findings from the C3PNO consortium

Marjan Javanbakht; Lamia Khan; Brian Mustanski; Steve Shoptaw; Marianna K. Baum; Shruti H. Mehta; Gregory D. Kirk; Shenghan Lai; Richard Moore; M-J Milloy; Michele Kipke; Kanna Hayashi; Kora DeBeck; Suzanne Siminski; Lisa M White; Pamina Gorbach

Preventive Medicine Reports (Oct 2023)

Substance use and other factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine uptake among people at risk for or living with HIV: Findings from the C3PNO consortium

Marjan Javanbakht,
Lamia Khan,
Brian Mustanski,
Steve Shoptaw,
Marianna K. Baum,
Shruti H. Mehta,
Gregory D. Kirk,
Shenghan Lai,
Richard Moore,
M-J Milloy,
Michele Kipke,
Kanna Hayashi,
Kora DeBeck,
Suzanne Siminski,
Lisa M White,
Pamina Gorbach

Affiliations

Marjan Javanbakht: Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Corresponding author.
Lamia Khan: Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Brian Mustanski: Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing and Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
Steve Shoptaw: Department of Family Medicine, Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Marianna K. Baum: Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Robert Stempel College of Public Health, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
Shruti H. Mehta: Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
Gregory D. Kirk: Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
Shenghan Lai: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
Richard Moore: Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
M-J Milloy: Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Michele Kipke: Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Kanna Hayashi: Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
Kora DeBeck: School of Public Policy, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada
Suzanne Siminski: Frontier Science Foundation, Amherst, NY, USA
Lisa M White: Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Pamina Gorbach: Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 35
p. 102300

Abstract

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Objective: We describe the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine uptake, substance use, and other factors associated with vaccine hesitancy among participants from nine North American cohort studies following a diverse group of individuals at risk for or living with HIV. Methods: Between May 2021 and January 2022, participants completed a survey related to COVID-19 vaccination. Participants included those with and without substance use. Those responding as ‘no’ or ‘undecided’ to the question “Do you plan on getting the COVID-19 vaccine?” were categorized as vaccine hesitant. Differences between groups were evaluated using chi-square methods and multivariable log-binomial models were used to calculate prevalence ratios (PR) of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy with separate models for each substance. Results: Among 1,696 participants, COVID-19 vaccination was deferred or declined by 16%. Vaccine hesitant participants were younger, with a greater proportion unstably housed (14.8% vs. 10.0%; p = 0.02), and not living with HIV (48.% vs. 36.6%; p <.01). Vaccine hesitant participants were also more likely to report cannabis (50.0% vs. 42.4%; p = 0.03), methamphetamine (14.0% vs. 8.2%; p <.01), or fentanyl use (5.5% vs. 2.8%; p = 0.03). Based on multivariable analyses methamphetamine or fentanyl use remained associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (Adjusted PR = 1.4; 95% CI 1.1–1.9 and Adjusted PR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.0–2.6, respectively). Conclusion: As new COVID-19 vaccines and booster schedules become necessary, people who use drugs (PWUD) may remain vaccine hesitant. Strategies to engage hesitant populations such as PWUD will need to be tailored to include special types of outreach such as integration with substance use programs such as safe injection sites or recovery programs.

Published in Preventive Medicine Reports

ISSN: 2211-3355 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/preventive-medicine-reports/

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