Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2: Vaccine Hesitancy Among Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Groups With HIV in Miami, Florida.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disproportionally affect underrepresented ethnoracial groups in the United States. Medical mistrust and vaccine hesitancy will likely impact acceptability of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. This study examined SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy among underrepresented ethnoracial groups with HIV and identified factors that may reduce vaccine uptake. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of adults ≥18 years of age with HIV residing in Miami, Florida. Participants were invited to participate in the ACTION (A Comprehensive Translational Initiative on Novel Coronavirus) cohort study. A baseline survey was administered from April to August 2020 and followed by a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy survey from August to November 2020. The COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy survey was adapted from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts survey. Comparisons by race and ethnicity were performed using the Freedman-Haltmann extension of the Fisher exact test. RESULTS: A total of 94 participants were enrolled; mean age was 54.4 years, 52% were female, 60% were Black non-Latinx, and 40% were non-Black Latinx. Black non-Latinx participants were less likely to agree that vaccinations are important for health when compared to non-Black Latinx (67.8% vs 92.1%, P = .009), less likely to agree that vaccines are effective in preventing disease (67.8% vs 84.2%, P = .029), less likely to believe that vaccine information is reliable and trustworthy (35.7% vs 71.1%, P = .002), and less likely to believe vaccines were unnecessary because COVID-19 would disappear soon (11% vs 21%, P = .049). CONCLUSIONS: Medical mistrust, vaccine hesitancy, and negative sentiments about SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are prevalent among underrepresented ethnoracial groups with HIV, particularly Black non-Latinx. Targeted strategies to increase vaccine uptake in this population are warranted.

COVID-19 Burden and Risk Among People With HIV.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated COVID-19 risk and burden among people with HIV (PWH) in a US city with high rates of HIV and SARS-CoV-2 transmissions and examined the interrelationship between psychosocial factors and COVID-19 risk and burden. SETTING: Participants were drawn from an existing consent to contact database of PWH. Database candidates were PWH, adults older than 18 years, people who had received HIV care at the University of Miami HIV clinics, people who spoke English or Spanish, and people who had agreed to be contacted for future research. METHODS: An adapted version of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study/Women's Interagency HIV Study Combined Cohort Study COVID-19 survey was telephonically administered, requiring 15-30 minutes. RESULTS: Psychological stress was a predictor of COVID-19 burden (financial and social burden) and COVID-19 risk (health factors associated with an increased risk of severe health outcomes due to infection with COVID-19). Having a history of traumatic events was associated with increased COVID-19 risk, and stress was associated with increased COVID-19 burden and COVID-19 risk. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, results suggest that the intersection of the HIV and COVID-19 pandemics may be most profound among those who have experienced traumatic events; and traumatic events may be associated with heightened vigilance regarding illness and infection.