COVID-19 vaccination status in people with spinal cord injury: Results from a cross-sectional study in Thailand

Abstract

Objective

To assess COVID-19 vaccination status among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Setting

Twelve hospitals from all regions of Thailand.

Participants

One hundred and eighty people with SCI were randomly selected from the Thai SCI registry database.

Intervention

Not applicable.

Outcome measures

The primary outcome, which was the COVID-19 vaccination status, and the secondary outcomes, which were the number of vaccination doses, satisfaction and dissatisfaction aspects, and barriers to vaccination, were recorded using a specifically developed questionnaire over the telephone during February to March 2022. Data were analyzed using descriptive analyses, bivariate, and multivariable analyses.

Results

Of the 96 people with SCI who were able to respond, the prevalence of receiving at least one dose was 77% but the prevalence of receiving a booster dose was 20%. Being non-traumatic SCI correlated negatively with having received any vaccination doses when compared to traumatic SCI. Most of the participants were satisfied with the government provision of COVID-19 vaccines. The major barriers to vaccination were problems related to a negative attitude toward the vaccination, followed by transportation difficulties and wheelchair-inaccessible vaccination sites.

Conclusions

Seventy-seven percent of people with SCI participating in this study received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, whereas only 20% of them received a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccination. To increase the prevalence of vaccination, healthcare providers should deliver the fact regarding COVID-19 vaccination to reduce negative attitudes, as well as remove physical barriers to vaccination places for people with SCI.

Keywords:

• Spinal cord injury
• COVID-19 vaccine
• Vaccination rate
• Barriers to vaccination

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to the respondents, researchers and research assistants from all study sites: Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Nakornping Hospital, and Phayao Hospital from the northern region; Sunprasitthiprasong Hospital, Surin Hospital, Thabo Crown Prince Hospital, Nong Khai Hospital, and Sakon Nakorn Hospital from the northeastern region; Sirindhorn National Rehabilitation Institute, Ratchaburi Hospital, Queen Sirikit Naval Hospital, Burapha University Hospital, and Prachuapkhirikhan Hospital from the central region; Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital and Songklanagarind Hospital from the southern region, and Siriraj Hospital from the Bangkok Metropolis. All authors would like to thank Professor Dr. G. Lamar Robert for English language editing assistance. S.P. would like to thank the Postdoctoral Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship 2022.

Disclaimer statements

Contributors C.C. and S.P. were responsible for designing the research questions, collecting, and analyzing the data, drafting the manuscript, and writing the final version of the manuscript. D.S., N.K., S.I., P.T., P.K., P.L., T.P., At.K., T.T., P.P., T.M., A.W., Ak.T., J.K., and T.D., were responsible for designing the research questions, collecting the data, and commenting on the final version of the manuscript. AK was responsible for designing the research questions and commenting on the final version of the manuscript.

Conflicts of interest Authors have no conflict of interests to declare.

Data availability statement

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University SCI Fund Year 2022. The funding bodies had no role in the design of the study, data collection and analysis, interpretation of data, or in writing of the manuscript.