AUTHOR=Li Nan , Chu Chaojia , Lin Weihong 

TITLE=A Survey of Hesitancy and Response to the COVID-19 Vaccine Among Patients With Epilepsy in Northeast China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.778618

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2021.778618

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> This study was conducted to investigate the hesitancy and response of people with epilepsy (PWE) to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> We conducted an online survey among PWE in northeast China about hesitancy and response to the COVID-19 vaccine. Their demographic background and symptomatic data about epilepsy were also recorded, and we analyzed the epilepsy-related risk factors in delaying the vaccine.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> In total, 357 patients with confirmed epilepsy were included in the survey, and only 38 (11%) patients received the COVID-19 vaccine. Fear of aggravating epilepsy (58%, <italic>n</italic> = 185), discouragement from health workers for epilepsy (22%, <italic>n</italic> = 70), and fear of patients of other unknown serious side effects (13%, <italic>n</italic> = 42) were the main reasons for delaying vaccination. A higher seizure frequency was the only epilepsy-related risk factor in delaying the vaccine (OR = 1.104, 95% CI: 0.988–1.233). None of the vaccinated patients reported that the vaccine aggravated their epilepsy.</p><p><bold>Significance:</bold> Understanding concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine among PWE could help to improve health education and promote the establishment of an immune barrier.</p>