Vaccine Hesitancy, Access Growing Concerns Among Patients With Chronic Diseases
A poll conducted by the Global Healthy Living Foundation found 11% of respondents with chronic conditions do not plan to get vaccinated for flu, COVID-19 or RSV.
A recent poll conducted by the Global Healthy Living Foundation shows that vaccine hesitancy and access are growing concerns among patients living with chronic diseases.1 The survey also showed the majority of respondents rely on healthcare professionals when it comes to getting information on vaccines rather than news outlets or social media platforms.
Vaccine Hesitancy, Access Growing Concerns Among Patients With Chronic Diseases / terovesalainen - stock.adobe.com
According to data from the CDC, 6 in 10 people in the United States live with a chronic illness and 4 in 10 have 2 or more.2 Heart disease and diabetes are among the most common chronic conditions in the country and are also the leading causes of death and disability. Vaccinations are critical for patients living with chronic conditions, as these patients have a more difficult time fighting off certain diseases.
READ MORE: Simplifying Vaccine Access Translates to Better Uptake
“The CDC recently reported a spike in respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19, RSV, and the flu, with rising hospitalizations and emergency room visits,” Robert Popovian, PharmD, MS, chief science policy officer at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, said in a release.1 “The data is clear: vaccines save lives. We put vulnerable individuals at even greater risk by raising doubts and hesitating to get vaccinated, especially among the populations we serve. We must continue to advocate for vaccine access and education.”
The Global Healthy Living Foundation survey was conducted in December 2024 and included over 1600 people living with chronic conditions such as diabetes, lung disease, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases. Of the respondents, 94% lived in the US. Questions included in the survey were used to gauge responder attitude towards vaccine-related information, vaccine positivity, and vaccine access in the future.
The survey showed 76% of respondents had gotten a flu vaccine for the current respiratory virus season, 66% got a COVID-19 vaccine, and 26% got an RSV vaccine. Of the respondents who had not gotten 1 or all of those vaccines, 5% said they plan to get vaccinated and 11% said they do not plan to get vaccinated. Reasons given for not getting vaccinated included having a bad reaction to a vaccine, a distrust of the government or pharmaceutical industry, and concerns over whether or not vaccines have been tested appropriately.
When asked where respondents get information related to vaccines, 89% said they still turn to health care providers and 62% said they go to government health agencies, including the CDC, FDA and World Health Organization. Another 10% said they get vaccine information from news outlets and just 2% said they trust what they see on social media platforms.
Additionally, the survey sought to understand how respondents felt about access to vaccines as a new administration is set to step into the White House. The poll found 54% of respondents shared concerns about the ability to access vaccines in the future.
“These aren’t just data points—these are a wake-up call,” Seth Ginsberg, president and co-founder of the Global Healthy Living Foundation, said in a release.1 “The concerns voiced by patients, particularly regarding vaccine access, highlight critical gaps in our health care system. We cannot ignore the impact this will have on those with chronic diseases, who are already at higher risk for severe illness.”
READ MORE: Immunization Resource Center
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