An update on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic public awareness on cancer patients' COVID-19 vaccine compliance: Outcomes and recommendations

BACKGROUND: Aside from the pandemic's negative health effects, the world was confronted with public confusion since proper communication and favorable decisions became an ongoing challenge. As a result, the public's perceptions were influenced by what they knew, the many sources of COVID-19 information, and how they interpreted it. With cancer patients continuing to oppose COVID-19 vaccines, we sought to investigate the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine sources of this information in adult cancer patients, which either helped or prevented them from taking the vaccine. We also assessed the relevance and impact of their oncologists' recommendations in encouraging them to take the vaccine. METHODS: From June to October 2021, an online survey was conducted at King Hussein Cancer Center. A total of 441 adult cancer patients took part in the study. Patients who had granted their consent were requested to complete an online questionnaire, which was collected using the SurveyMonkey questionnaire online platform. Descriptive analysis was done for all variables. The association between categorical and continuous variables was assessed using the Pearson Chi-square and Fisher Exact. RESULTS: Our results showed that 75% of the patients registered for the COVID-19 vaccine, while 12% refused vaccination. The majority of participants acquired their information from news and television shows, whereas (138/441) got their information through World Health Organization websites. Because the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were made in such a short period, 54.7 % assumed the vaccines were unsafe. Only 49% of the patients said their oncologists had informed them about the benefits of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. CONCLUSIONS: We found that SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy in cancer patients might be related to misinformation obtained from social media despite the availability of supportive scientific information on the vaccine's benefits from the physicians. To combat misleading and unreliable social media news, we recommend that physicians use telehealth technology to reach out to their patients in addition to their face-to-face consultation, which delivers comprehensive, clear, and high-quality digital services that guide and help patients to better understand the advantages of COVID-19 vaccines.