The COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in people living with HIV in Togo.

Abstract

Background: Controversy continues to surround COVID-19 vaccines since their appearance and little is known about acceptance of receiving the vaccine particularly among people infected with HIV.

Objective: The main objective was to evaluate the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines among people living with HIV followed at the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital in Lomé.

Patients and methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from August 1 to 31, 2021 among patients infected with HIV and followed in the Infectious and Tropical Diseases department of the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital in Lomé. We include all people aged at least 18 years old and who gave their free consent to participate in the study.

Results: Four hundred and eighty five patients were interviewed with female predominance. The mean age was 47.8 ± 10.15 years with extremes of 18 and 80 years. The average duration of diagnosis of HIV infection was 8.6 ± 3.67 years with extremes of 1 and 15 years. The general opinion on vaccination was unfavorable (n=273; 56.6%). Fears and reservations about the quality of the vaccine (n=271; 94.8%), fear of side effects (n=205; 71.7%), doubts about the efficacy of vaccines (n=117; 40 .9%) and conspiracy theories (n=114; 39.9%) are the main reasons given.

Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was low among people living with HIV