Diminished capacity to make treatment decision for COVID-19 vaccination in schizophrenia.

Recent evidence suggests that people with schizophrenia are at high risk for severe COVID-19 and should be prioritized for vaccination. However, impaired decision-making capacities could negatively affect the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination in this population. Capacity to consent to COVID-19 vaccination was assessed in 80 outpatients with schizophrenia. Using the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment, 56.3% of the sample were classified as having diminished capacity to consent to the vaccination. Diminished capacity to consent to COVID-19 vaccination was associated with lower vaccination rates, poorer cognition and higher level of psychotic symptoms. Developing interventions for enhancing informed consent for vaccination is urgent within this population.

Attitudes towards Vaccines, Intent to Vaccinate and the Relationship with COVID-19 Vaccination Rates in Individuals with Schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia patients are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 outcomes but recent evidence suggests that they are under-vaccinated. This study explored the role of potential attitudinal barriers by comparing schizophrenia patients with participants from the general population regarding COVID-19 vaccination rates, general attitudes towards vaccines, and willingness to take a COVID-19 vaccine. We conducted a cross-sectional study between April 2021 and October 2021. A total of 100 people with schizophrenia and 72 nonclinical controls were recruited. In our study, individuals with schizophrenia were under-vaccinated, despite similar general attitudes towards vaccination and higher willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 compared to nonclinical participants. In patients, negative attitudes toward vaccines were related to higher levels of negative psychotic symptoms and higher levels of paranoid ideation. As a whole, participants with more negative attitudes towards vaccines were less likely to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and had lower levels of trust in institutions. Vaccine hesitancy does not appear to be a major barrier for COVID-19 vaccine uptake amongst people with schizophrenia. This study suggests that disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rates in schizophrenia do not seem related to attitudinal but rather structural barriers.