COVID-19 Vaccinations: Summary Guidance for Cancer Patients in 28 Languages: Breaking Barriers to Cancer Patient Information

Rev Recent Clin Trials. 2022;17(1):11-14. doi: 10.2174/1574887116666211028145848.

Abstract

Background: Covid-19 vaccination has started in the majority of the countries at the global level. Cancer patients are at high risk for infection, serious illness, and death from COVID-19 and need vaccination guidance and support. Guidance availability in the English language only is a major limit for recommendations' delivery and their application in the world's population and generates information inequalities across the different populations.

Methods: Most of the available COVID-19 vaccination guidance for cancer patients was screened and scrutinized by the European Cancer Patients Coalition (ECPC) and an international oncology panel of 52 physicians from 33 countries.

Results: A summary guidance was developed and provided in 28 languages in order to reach more than 70 percent of the global population.

Conclusion: Language barrier and e-guidance availability in the native language are the most important barriers when communicating with patients. E-guidance availability in various native languages should be considered a major priority by international medical and health organizations that are communicating with patients at the global level.

Keywords: Population; cancer patients; global; guidance; languages; vaccination.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 Vaccines
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Language
  • Neoplasms*
  • Vaccination

Substances

  • COVID-19 Vaccines