Understanding factors associated with vaccine uptake and vaccine hesitancy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a scoping literature review

Due to higher risk of complications associated with vaccine-preventable infections (e.g., influenza, pneumococcus), patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are a priority group for vaccination. However, vaccination rates among RA patients are low, indicating a need to understand the determinants of vaccine hesitancy in this group. This study conducted an evidence synthesis of various stakeholders’ (patients, physicians/rheumatologists) perspectives about the determinants of vaccine hesitancy and uptake among patients with RA. We searched three bibliographic and reference databases (PUBMED, PsychINFO, and SCOPUS) for relevant English or French articles published in peer-reviewed journals through July 2019 that conducted either qualitative or quantitative assessments of vaccine hesitancy or uptake. Key themes associated with vaccination hesitancy themes according to different stakeholders were extracted and summarized. Of 783 unique citations, 16 articles met the inclusion criteria. Most studies (78%; n = 134,787 RA patients) examined barriers reported by patients, 13% (n = 114) by rheumatologists. Two principal themes and six sub-themes associated with vaccination hesitancy were identified among both patients and rheumatologists: ‘social and contextual factors’ (including healthcare policies, access to care/high patient loads, and social/media influences) and ‘patient and provider factors’ (including patient understanding of benefits and risks, provider awareness of guidelines and perceived responsibility for vaccination, and implementation challenges). Determinants of vaccine hesitancy and uptake in RA identified by different stakeholders implicate patient-, provider-, and healthcare system‑related factors. This information is relevant for the design of interventions that target improving vaccine uptake in RA patients.