Files and links (1)
Published, Version of Record (VoR)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Self-Reported COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Acceptance and Hesitancy Among Autistic Adults in Pennsylvania: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Survey Data
JMIR public health and surveillance, v 10, e51054
28 Aug 2024
PMID: 39196609
Abstract
The autistic population is rapidly increasing; meanwhile, autistic adults face disproportionate risks for adverse COVID-19 outcomes. Limited research indicates that autistic individuals have been accepting of initial vaccination, but research has yet to document this population's perceptions and acceptance of COVID-19 boosters.
This study aims to identify person-level and community characteristics associated with COVID-19 vaccination and booster acceptance among autistic adults, along with self-reported reasons for their stated preferences. Understanding this information is crucial in supporting this vulnerable population given evolving booster guidelines and the ending of the public health emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data are from a survey conducted in Pennsylvania from April 11 to September 12, 2022. Demographic characteristics, COVID-19 experiences, and COVID-19 vaccine decisions were compared across vaccination status groups. Chi-square analyses and 1-way ANOVA were conducted to test for significant differences. Vaccination reasons were ranked by frequency; co-occurrence was identified using phi coefficient correlation plots.
Most autistic adults (193/266, 72.6%) intended to receive or received the vaccine and booster, 15% (40/266) did not receive or intend to receive any vaccine, and 12.4% (33/266) received or intended to receive the initial dose but were hesitant to accept booster doses. Reasons for vaccine acceptance or hesitancy varied by demographic factors and COVID-19 experiences. The most significant were previously contracting COVID-19, desire to access information about COVID-19, and discomfort with others not wearing a mask (all P=.001). County-level factors, including population density (P=.02) and percentage of the county that voted for President Biden (P=.001) were also significantly associated with differing vaccination acceptance levels. Reasons for accepting the initial COVID-19 vaccine differed among those who were or were not hesitant to accept a booster. Those who accepted a booster were more likely to endorse protecting others and trusting the vaccine as the basis for their acceptance, whereas those who were hesitant about the booster indicated that their initial vaccine acceptance came from encouragement from someone they trusted. Among the minority of those hesitant to any vaccination, believing that the vaccine was unsafe and would make them feel unwell were the most often reported reasons.
Intention to receive or receiving the COVID-19 vaccination and booster was higher among autistic adults than the population that received vaccines in Pennsylvania. Autistic individuals who accepted vaccines prioritized protecting others, while autistic individuals who were vaccine hesitant had safety concerns about vaccines. These findings inform public health opportunities and strategies to further increase vaccination and booster rates among generally accepting autistic adults, to better support the already strained autism services and support system landscape. Vaccination uptake could be improved by leveraging passive information diffusion to combat vaccination misinformation among those not actively seeking COVID-19 information to better alleviate safety concerns.
Metrics
20 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Self-Reported COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Acceptance and Hesitancy Among Autistic Adults in Pennsylvania: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Survey Data
- Creators
- Lindsay Shea - Drexel University, A.J. Drexel Autism InstituteDylan Cooper - Drexel University, A.J. Drexel Autism InstituteJonas Ventimiglia - Drexel University, A.J. Drexel Autism InstituteShelby Frisbie - Drexel University, A.J. Drexel Autism InstituteConner Carlton - Drexel University, A.J. Drexel Autism InstituteWei Song - Drexel University, A.J. Drexel Autism InstituteMark Salzer - Temple UniversityBrian Lee - Drexel University, Dana and David Dornsife School of Public HealthEmily Hotez - University of California, Los AngelesDavid Vanness - Pennsylvania State University
- Publication Details
- JMIR public health and surveillance, v 10, e51054
- Publisher
- JMIR PUBLICATIONS, INC
- Number of pages
- 14
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics; A.J. Drexel Autism Institute
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001317758500014
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85202702897
- Other Identifier
- 991021889464204721
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health