The following is a summary of “COVID-19 vaccine uptake, vaccine confidence and medical mistrust among reproductive-aged women in jamaica,” published in the FEBRUARY 2023 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology by Pinkney J, et al.

For a study, researchers sought to investigate whether there were disparities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake, vaccine confidence, and medical mistrust beliefs between pregnant and non-pregnant reproductive-aged women. 

It was a cross-sectional, web-based survey conducted among a convenience sample of reproductive-aged women, including patients, providers, and staff, at a tertiary care hospital from February 1-8, 2022. The study aimed to assess the COVID-19 vaccination status, vaccine confidence, and medical mistrust beliefs, such as “I don’t trust the COVID-19 vaccine.” They utilized multivariable modified Poisson regression to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% CI for vaccination in pregnant versus non-pregnant women, while adjusting for age, education, and comorbidities.

A total of 192 reproductive-aged women provided complete survey responses, including 72 (38%) pregnant and 120 (62%) non-pregnant women. The mean (SD) age of pregnant women was lower than that of non-pregnant women [30 (±5.6) vs. 34 (±7.0)]. The study found that vaccine uptake was significantly lower among pregnant women (35%) compared to non-pregnant women (75%) (aPR=0.56, 95%CI=0.40 – 0.79; P=0.001). Pregnant women were also more likely to endorse mistrust statements such as “I don’t trust the COVID-19 vaccine” (aPR=2.27, 95% CI=1.35 – 3.85; P=0.002) and safety concerns (e.g., “I am worried COVID-19 vaccines could be harmful”) (aPR=1.39, 95%CI=1.06 – 1.84; P=0.019) than non-pregnant women.

In conclusion, the study suggested pregnant women may be less likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine than non-pregnant reproductive-aged women. Mistrust and safety concerns may contribute to lower vaccine uptake in the population. More research was needed to identify tailored solutions to address these disparities.

Source: ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(22)01015-8/fulltext