P898 Hesitancy on COVID-19 Vaccination Among Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in South Korea: A Multicenter Survey

Abstract

Abstract Background Despite many clinicians recommending COVID-19 vaccination to patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) due to high susceptibility, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy was a worldwide phenomenon. Although previous studies to identify the cause of this vaccine hesitancy are being published, few studies have been done on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among IBD patients in South Korea. Therefore, the aim of our study was to find out the factors that cause vaccine hesitancy in patients with IBD in South Korea. Methods An electronic survey was conducted on IBD patients with receiving treatment at 5 hospitals in Daejeon-Chungchung province from September 2022 to January 2023. Basal characteristics, factors for vaccine hesitancy was evaluated. Survey was designed as a voluntary and anonymous manner. Results A total of 272 patients participated in the survey, of which 119 patients had Crohn’s disease (CD) and 153 patients had ulcerative colitis (UC). COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy tended to decrease with age (r=-0.158, p=0.011). In IBD medication, comparing patient group using 5-aminosalisylic acid and using biologics, hesitancy was higher in the biologics group (p=0.017). Hesitancy was high in patients who preferred Moderna (p=0.049). 102 patients answered that the cause of vaccine hesitancy was concern about safety of vaccines, with the largest share. Conclusion The study found that the main reason of hesitancy was concerns about the safety of the vaccine. Hesitancy tended to decrease with age and was higher in patients using biologics. This study may be helpful to educate patients with more specific targets to prepare for the current COVID-19 as well as other possible future pandemics.