COVID-19 vaccination coverage and vaccine hesitancy among Australians with disability and long-term health conditions

Abstract

Issue addressed: COVID-19 vaccination is the cornerstone of managing Australia's COVID-19 pandemic and the success of the vaccination program depends on high vaccination coverage. This paper examined differences in COVID-19 vaccination coverage and vaccine hesitancy for people with disability, long-term health conditions, and carers - subgroups that were prioritised in Australia's vaccination program.

Methods: Using data from 2400 Australians who participated in two waves of the Taking the Pulse of the Nation survey in April and May 2021, we described vaccination coverage and hesitancy among people with disability, severe mental health conditions, severe long-term health conditions, frequent need for assistance with everyday activities, and carers.

Results: Vaccination coverage was estimated to be 8.2% in the population overall and was similar for people with disability, those with frequent need for assistance, and carers. It was higher for people with severe long-term health conditions (13.4%) and lower for people with severe mental health conditions (4.3%). Vaccine hesitancy was high overall (35.6%) and was similarly high across the priority groups, with only small differences for people with disability, severe long-term health conditions and frequent need for assistance.

Conclusions: This study highlights a lack of difference in vaccination coverage for people with disability, long-term health conditions, and carers compared to the general population. So what? Sub-optimal vaccination coverage for people in the priority groups leaves many people at significant risk of serious disease or death if exposed to COVID-19, particularly in light of easing of disease-control restrictions across Australia and the emergence of new variants.

Keywords: COVID-19; chronic disease; disabled persons; health inequities; vaccination coverage; vaccination hesitancy.