Jessica Widdifield1, Lihi Eder2, Simon Chen3, Jeffrey C Kwong4, Carol Hitchon5, Diane Lacaille6, J Antonio Aviña-Zubieta6, Lawrence W Svenson7, Sasha Bernatsky8. 1. J. Widdifield, PhD, Assistant Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation, University of Toronto, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Holland Bone & Joint Program, Toronto, and ICES, Toronto, Ontario. 2. L. Eder, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Toronto, and Women's College Research Institute, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Ontario. 3. S. Chen, MPH, ICES, Toronto, Ontario. 4. J.C. Kwong, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, and Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, ICES, Toronto, and Public Health Ontario, Toronto, Ontario. 5. C. Hitchon, MD, MSc, Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba. 6. D. Lacaille, MD, MHSc, FRCPC, Professor, J.A. Aviña-Zubieta, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Associate Professor, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, and Arthritis Research Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia. 7. L.W. Svenson, PhD, Analytics and Performance Reporting Branch, Alberta Health, Edmonton, Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, and Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta. 8. S. Bernatsky, MD, FRCPC, PhD, Professor, Divisions of Rheumatology and Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We assessed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine uptake among individuals with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) and the Ontario general population. METHODS: We studied all residents aged ≥ 16 years who were alive and enrolled in the Ontario Health Insurance Plan as of December 14, 2020, when vaccination commenced (n = 12,435,914). Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), psoriasis (PsO), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were identified using established disease-specific case definitions applied to health administrative data. Vaccination status was extracted from the provincial COVaxON registry. Weekly cumulative proportions of first and second doses up until October 3, 2021, were expressed as the vaccinated percentage of each disease group, compared to the general Ontario population, and stratified by age. RESULTS: By October 3, 2021, the cumulative percentage with at least 1 dose was 82.1% for the general population, 88.9% for those with RA, 87.4% for AS, 90.6% for PsA, 87.3% for PsO, and 87.0% for IBD. There was also a higher total cumulative percentage with 2 doses among IMIDs (83.8-88.2%) vs the general population (77.9%). The difference was also evident when stratifying by age. Individuals with IMIDs in the youngest age group initially had earlier uptake than the general population but remain the lowest age group with 2 doses (70.6% in the general population vs. 73.7-79.2% across IMID groups). CONCLUSION: While implementation of COVID-19 vaccination programs has differed globally, these Canadian estimates are the first to reassuringly show higher COVID-19 vaccine uptake among individuals with IMIDs.
OBJECTIVE: We assessed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine uptake among individuals with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) and the Ontario general population. METHODS: We studied all residents aged ≥ 16 years who were alive and enrolled in the Ontario Health Insurance Plan as of December 14, 2020, when vaccination commenced (n = 12,435,914). Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), psoriasis (PsO), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were identified using established disease-specific case definitions applied to health administrative data. Vaccination status was extracted from the provincial COVaxON registry. Weekly cumulative proportions of first and second doses up until October 3, 2021, were expressed as the vaccinated percentage of each disease group, compared to the general Ontario population, and stratified by age. RESULTS: By October 3, 2021, the cumulative percentage with at least 1 dose was 82.1% for the general population, 88.9% for those with RA, 87.4% for AS, 90.6% for PsA, 87.3% for PsO, and 87.0% for IBD. There was also a higher total cumulative percentage with 2 doses among IMIDs (83.8-88.2%) vs the general population (77.9%). The difference was also evident when stratifying by age. Individuals with IMIDs in the youngest age group initially had earlier uptake than the general population but remain the lowest age group with 2 doses (70.6% in the general population vs. 73.7-79.2% across IMID groups). CONCLUSION: While implementation of COVID-19 vaccination programs has differed globally, these Canadian estimates are the first to reassuringly show higher COVID-19 vaccine uptake among individuals with IMIDs.
Authors: Jessica Widdifield; Jeffrey C Kwong; Simon Chen; Lihi Eder; Eric I Benchimol; Gilaad G Kaplan; Carol Hitchon; J Antonio Aviña-Zubieta; Diane Lacaille; Hannah Chung; Sasha Bernatsky Journal: Lancet Rheumatol Date: 2022-04-14