Knowledge of COVID-19, vaccination affects vaccine absorption during pregnancy

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SAN DIEGO – Pregnant patients who had more knowledge about COVID-19 and immunization were more likely to be vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, according to a study presented here.

However, researchers emphasize that providers also need to improve vaccine absorption and increase uptake.

Pregnant patients with more knowledge of COVID-19 and vaccination are more likely to be vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, according to data presented at the annual ACOG clinical and scientific meeting. Source: Adobe Stock

Eva Agas

“When we started this project, the COVID-19 vaccine was recently released, and we predicted that at-risk populations, such as pregnant women, would benefit greatly from the vaccine,” said Eva Agas, MPH, a senior fellow at the University of Miami in Florida. of the study, Healio said. “However, given the growing volatility of the vaccine that has recently struck the world, we were concerned about the lack of clear guidance provided to patients, especially pregnant women, who may be concerned about the potential side effects of the COVID vaccine. -19 by themselves. and their fetuses. “

Valerie Villarinho

Gabriela Rodriguez

Along with Valerie Villarinho, a bachelor’s degree, and Gabriela Rodriguez, a bachelor’s degree, both candidates for a doctorate in medicine from the University of Miami-Agass and his colleagues surveyed 359 postpartum patients who visited their academic medical center between July and September 2021. Patients report their vaccination status and answer questions about their general knowledge of COVID-19 vaccination. They won or lost one point for correct or incorrect answer, with possible total results of knowledge ranging from -5 to 5.

The average result of the participants’ knowledge was 1.7 ± 1.77. Vaccination was 1.6 times more likely with each one-point increase when age and education were controlled.

“We were surprised to find that knowledge is not as strong a predictor as we expected,” said Agas. “Anecdotally, many of our patients shared emotionally charged reasons that underscored their hesitation about the vaccine. This underscored the dual nature of vaccination decisions – both knowledge and emotions play a key role. “

While Agas recognizes that informing patients is vital to promoting vaccination, how clinicians perform is also important.

“With regard to the doctor-patient interaction, it is essential that doctors engage in open, non-judgmental conversations in order to accurately inform patients about vaccines, while addressing the factors that influence their patient’s decision to receive the vaccine,” he said. Agas. .

Given that information on COVID-19 vaccines became available after the study, Agas said it would be “interesting” to see how these findings could have changed.

“This study also raises questions about the drivers that contribute to vaccine fluctuations in at-risk populations,” she said. “We would like the opportunity to conduct a similar study on other vaccines, such as the HPV vaccine in adolescents, to determine how patients’ knowledge can affect the intake of other vaccines.