COVID-19 vaccine acceptability in patients with opioid dependence - a cross-sectional, community-based study

BackgroundPeople with Substance Use Disorder have higher adverse outcomes associated with COVID-19 infection that can be reduced with COVID-19 vaccines. Various factors influence the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines. We assessed COVID-19 vaccine-related knowledge, attitude, and beliefs in patients on Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT) from a community clinic in an urban impoverished area in Delhi, India.MethodsCross-sectional design. We interviewed 200 adult males using a structured questionnaire.ResultsThe participants' mean age was 27.4 (SD 6.8) years; majority (68%, n = 136) had less than 10 years of schooling. While family members of 77% (n = 154) of the participants were vaccinated for COVID-19, only 32% (n = 64) of the participants had been vaccinated with at least a single dose. 43% (n = 86) felt they are ineligible for vaccine due to their addiction or their ongoing addiction treatment (46.5%, n = 93). Though the majority (78.5%, n = 157) were willing to get vaccinated, they had not done so due to concerns, such as fear of vaccine-related adverse-effects (35%).ConclusionsCOVID-19 vaccination rates in individuals with opioid dependence are much lower compared to the general population. There are several misconceptions related to COVID-19 vaccinations in this population that needs to be addressed to achieve universal vaccination against COVID-19 infection.