Knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding infection and vaccination in patients with rheumatic diseases in China

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic and disease characteristics of the participants.

Demographic data	Number (%)
Age (years)	39.69 ± 15.86
Gender (males)	79 (33.6)
Disease course (years)	4.48 ± 5.96
Education level (primary school)	38 (16.2)
Education level (university)	78 (33.2)
Language (Mandarin)	97 (41.3)
Language (Cantonese)	76 (32.3)
Language (Dialect)	49 (20.9)
Diagnosis
▲ SLE	59 (25.1)
▲ Rheumatoid Arthritis	23 (9.8)
▲ Sjogren’s Syndrome	20 (8.5)
▲ Systemic sclerosis	15 (6.4)
▲ Other CTDs	13 (5.5)
▲ Vasculitis	10 (4.3)
▲ Spondyloarthritis	19 (8.1)
▲ Gout	40 (17)
Glucocorticoids	143 (60.9%)
cDMARDs	159 (67.7%)
Biological agents	9 (3.8%)

SLE, systemic lupus erythema; cDMARDs, conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs

Table 2. Questions and answers about disease perception and vaccination.

Number	Question	Yes Or I agreed Number (percentage)	No Or I disagreed Number (percentage)	I didn’t know Number (percentage)
Knowledge and attitudes about vaccination
Q2	Have you ever heard of influenza vaccine?	159 (67.7)	76 (32.3)	-
Q3	Have you ever heard of pneumococcal vaccine?	62 (26.4)	173 (73.6)	-
Q4	Have you ever heard of herpes zoster vaccine?	43 (18.3)	192 (81.7)	-
Q5	Do you know where you can get the vaccine shots mentioned above?	103 (43.8)	132 (56.2)	-
Q12	I won’t have flu if I take flu vaccine.	26 (11.1)	117 (49.8)	92 (39.1)
Q13	A person who has not taken flu vaccine will be more likely to get flu than the other people taking flu vaccines.	143 (60.9)	23 (9.8)	69 (29.3)
Q14	I will not easily get pneumonia if taking pneumococcal vaccine.	115 (48.9)	30 (12.8)	90 (38.3)
Q17	Vaccination is safe and reliable.	102 (43.4)	38 (16.2)	95 (40.4)
Q18	It takes huge risks to be vaccinated.	22 (9.4)	116 (49.4)	97 (41.2)
Q19	I have access to get knowledge about vaccination.	75 (31.9)	35 (14.9)	125 (53.2)
Q15	Basic medical insurance would cover influenza and pneumococcal vaccine.	29 (12.3)	22 (9.4)	184 (78.3)
Q16	I am not willing to take influenza and pneumonia vaccination despite fee problem.	36 (15.3)	139 (59.1)	60 (25.5)
Q20	I know I need to take flu vaccine because of my age and disease.	41 (17.4)	33 (14)	161 (68.6)
Q21	I don’t know I need to take pneumococcal vaccine because of my age and disease.	79 (33.6)	15 (6.4)	141 (60)
Q22	I know family members or friends taking influenza or pneumococcal vaccines before.	34 (14.5)	47 (20)	154 (65.5)
Q6	Is there any doctor who recommend you to take the vaccine shots mentioned above?	9 (3.8)	221 (94)	5 (2.2)
Q24	I am willing to take influenza or pneumococcal vaccine under doctor’s recommendation.	91 (38.7)	44 (18.7)	90 (38.3)
Perception of disease of their own
Q8	I once had tuberculosis.	9 (3.8)	218 (92.8)	8 (3.4)
Q9	I had antibodies of HBV.	68 (28.9)	27 (11.5)	129 (54.9)
	I had HBV infection.	11 (4.7)
Knowledge of common infections
Q10	It won’t be serious if I get flu.	44 (18.7)	144 (61.3)	47 (20)
Q11	It could be serious if I have pneumonia.	185 (78.7)	12 (5.1)	38 (16.2)
Vaccination uptake status
Q1	Vaccination uptake
	Influenza	1
	Pneumonia	0
	Herpes zoster	0
	HAV	0
	HBV	3
	HPV	2
	Rabies	4
	Tetanus	2
	Others	3
Q23	Reasons given for non-vaccination
	unnecessary	21 (8.9)
	too expensive	7 (3.0)
	troublesome	20 (8.5)
	No reason	124 (52.8)

HAV, Hepatitis A virus; HBV, Hepatitis B virus; HPV, Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Table 3. Attitudes, knowledge, and beliefs about influenza and pneumonia vaccinations according to the participants’ willingness to take influenza and pneumococcal vaccines under doctors’ recommendation.

Variables/Questions	Answers	Willingness to take influenza and pneumococcal vaccines (Mean ± Standard Deviation, or percentage)
		Yes	No or not sure	P-value
Age	–	37.9 ± 15.65	40.79 ± 15.96	0.20
Disease duration	–	4.49 ± 6.65	4.48 ± 5.49	0.98
Male	–	34.1	31.9	0.74
Have you got vaccination in recent five years?	Yes	9.89	4.17	0.08
	No or not sure	90.1	95.8
Have you ever heard of influenza vaccine?	Yes	76.9	61.8	0.016
	No or not sure	23.1	38.2
Have you ever heard of pneumococcal vaccine?	Yes	37.4	19.4	0.002
	No or not sure	62.6	80.6
Do you know the place for vaccination?	Yes	48.4	41.0	0.267
	No or not sure	51.6	59.0
There is a doctor who recommends me to take influenza and pneumonia vaccines.	Yes	5.49	2.78	0.29
	No or not sure	94.5	97.2
It could be serious if I have influenza.	Yes	74.7	52.8	0.001
	No or not sure	25.3	47.2
It could be serious if I have pneumonia.	Yes	85.7	74.3	0.037
	No or not sure	14.3	25.7
I am willing to take influenza and pneumonia vaccination with the fee covered by insurance.	Yes	79.1	46.5	＜0.001
	No or not sure	20.9	53.5
Vaccination is safe and reliable.	Yes	60.4	32.6	＜0.001
	No or not sure	39.6	67.4
I have access to get knowledge about vaccination.	Yes	42.8	33.3	0.004
	No or not sure	57.2	66.7
I know I need to take influenza vaccine because of my age and disease.	Yes	25.3	12.5	0.012
	No or not sure	74.7	87.5
I know I need to take pneumococcal vaccine because of my age and disease.	Yes	8.79	5.56	0.337
	No or not sure	91.2	94.4
I know family members or friends taking influenza or pneumococcal vaccines.	Yes	20.9	10.4	0.026
	No or not sure	79.1	89.6
A person who has not taken flu vaccine will be more likely to get flu than the other people taking flu vaccines.	Yes	75.8	51.4	＜0.001
	No or not sure	24.2	48.6

Table 4. Questions related to infection and vaccination in the questionnaire.

NUMBER	QUESTION
Q1	Have you got vaccine shot in recent five years? The types of vaccine included influenza, pneumococcal, herpes zoster, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Human papillomavirus (HPV), rabies, tetanus and others.
Q2	Have you heard of influenza vaccine?
Q3	Have you heard of pneumococcal vaccine?
Q4	Have you heard of herpes zoster vaccine?
Q5	Do you know where you can get the vaccine shots mentioned above?
Q6	Is there any doctor who recommend you to take the vaccine shots mentioned above?
Q7	Have you ever had pneumonia, influenza or herpes zoster infection in recent five years?
Q8	Did you have tuberculosis before?
Q9	Do you have the antibodies of HBV?
Q10	It won’t be serious if I get flu.
Q11	It could be serious if I have pneumonia.
Q12	I won’t have flu if I take flu vaccine.
Q13	A person who has not taken flu vaccine will be more likely to get flu than the other people taking flu vaccines.
Q14	I won’t easily get pneumonia if I get pneumococcal vaccine.
Q15	Basic medical insurance would cover influenza vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine.
Q16	I am still not willing to get vaccine shots although medical insurance could cover the vaccine fee.
Q17	I believe vaccine is safe and reliable.
Q18	I believe it takes huge risks to be vaccinated.
Q19	I have routes to get known of knowledge about vaccine.
Q20	I know I need to take flu vaccine because of my age and disease.
Q21	I don’t know I need to take pneumococcal vaccine because of my age and disease.
Q22	I have family members or friends having taking influenza or pneumococcal vaccine before.
Q23	Why am I unwilling to take influenza or pneumococcal vaccine?
Q24	If now doctors suggest you take influenza or pneumococcal vaccine, are you willing to take the vaccine?