TY - JOUR
T1 - Increasing the COVID-19 immunization rate through allergy testing
AU - Bent, R. K.
AU - Weinbrenner, J.
AU - Faihs, V.
AU - Steffens, S.
AU - Nau, T.
AU - Vitus, M.
AU - Mathes, S.
AU - Darsow, U.
AU - Biedermann, T.
AU - Brockow, K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - Background: Vaccination of the population is required to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Allergy testing could reduce anxiety towards COVID-19 vaccination and thereby may increase vaccination rate, however, its effectiveness remains unclear. Methods: One hundred and thirty prospective real-life patients in need of but not daring to get vaccinated asked for allergy workup for COVID-19 vaccine hypersensitivity in 2021/2022. Characterization of patients, identification of anxieties, decrease of patient's anxiety levels, overall vaccination rate and adverse reactions after vaccination were assessed. Results: Tested patients were characterized by being female (91.5%) and having a high rate of previous allergies (e.g. to food 55.4%, drugs 54.6%, or previous vaccinations 50%) and dermatological disease (29.2%) but not always had medical contraindications for COVID-19 vaccination. Sixty one patients (49.6%) were highly concerned (4-6, Likert scale 0-6) about vaccination and 47 (37.6%) expressed resolving thoughts about vaccinaion anaphylaxis (3-6, Likert scale 0-6). However only 35 patients (28.5%) were scared of getting COVID-19 within 2 months (4–6, Likert scale 0–6) and only 11 (9%) patients had high expectations of getting COVID-19 (4–6, Likert scale 0–6). Allergy testing significantly (p < 0.01 to p < 0.05 respectively) reduced the median anxiety of allergic symptoms following vaccination: dyspnoea (4.2–3.1), to faint (3.7–2.7), long-term consequences (3.6–2.2), pruritus (3.4–2.6), skin rash (3.3–2.6) and death (3.2–2.6). After allergy testing, most patients (108/122, 88.5%) let themselves be vaccinated within 60 days. Revaccinated patients with previous symptoms experienced a reduction of symptoms (p < 0.05) upon revaccination. Conclusions: Patients not daring to get vaccinated have more anxiety towards vaccination than to acquire COVID-19. For those, allergy testing excludes vaccine allergy, and is a tool to increase vaccination willingness and thereby helps to combat vaccination hesitancy.
AB - Background: Vaccination of the population is required to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Allergy testing could reduce anxiety towards COVID-19 vaccination and thereby may increase vaccination rate, however, its effectiveness remains unclear. Methods: One hundred and thirty prospective real-life patients in need of but not daring to get vaccinated asked for allergy workup for COVID-19 vaccine hypersensitivity in 2021/2022. Characterization of patients, identification of anxieties, decrease of patient's anxiety levels, overall vaccination rate and adverse reactions after vaccination were assessed. Results: Tested patients were characterized by being female (91.5%) and having a high rate of previous allergies (e.g. to food 55.4%, drugs 54.6%, or previous vaccinations 50%) and dermatological disease (29.2%) but not always had medical contraindications for COVID-19 vaccination. Sixty one patients (49.6%) were highly concerned (4-6, Likert scale 0-6) about vaccination and 47 (37.6%) expressed resolving thoughts about vaccinaion anaphylaxis (3-6, Likert scale 0-6). However only 35 patients (28.5%) were scared of getting COVID-19 within 2 months (4–6, Likert scale 0–6) and only 11 (9%) patients had high expectations of getting COVID-19 (4–6, Likert scale 0–6). Allergy testing significantly (p < 0.01 to p < 0.05 respectively) reduced the median anxiety of allergic symptoms following vaccination: dyspnoea (4.2–3.1), to faint (3.7–2.7), long-term consequences (3.6–2.2), pruritus (3.4–2.6), skin rash (3.3–2.6) and death (3.2–2.6). After allergy testing, most patients (108/122, 88.5%) let themselves be vaccinated within 60 days. Revaccinated patients with previous symptoms experienced a reduction of symptoms (p < 0.05) upon revaccination. Conclusions: Patients not daring to get vaccinated have more anxiety towards vaccination than to acquire COVID-19. For those, allergy testing excludes vaccine allergy, and is a tool to increase vaccination willingness and thereby helps to combat vaccination hesitancy.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85149479242&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/jdv.18979
DO - 10.1111/jdv.18979
M3 - Article
C2 - 36808753
AN - SCOPUS:85149479242
SN - 0926-9959
VL - 37
SP - 1228
EP - 1235
JO - Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology
JF - Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology
IS - 6
ER -
