Vaccination rates in rheumatic diseases: a cross-sectional register study on the role of patient beliefs and physician engagement
Authors' conclusion
Vaccination uptake was relatively low in this vulnerable population.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRD) in the Swiss Clinical Quality Management (SCQM) register59% women
- Participants
- 2,446 patients
- Outcome
- Vaccination uptake: checking vaccination status (checked by a health professional), influenza and pneumococcal vaccination coverage
Methodological detailssurvey nested within the SCQM register, multiple imputation, multivariable logistic regression
- Survey nested within the SCQM register
- Multiple imputation
- Multivariable logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Vaccination uptake
Checked vaccination status in the past 24 months
48%
Influenza vaccination
51%
Pneumococcal vaccination
33%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Vaccination beliefs
- Believed in both importance and safety of vaccine
- 52%
- Believed vaccination neither safe nor important
- 2%
- No change in vaccination beliefs after the COVID-19 pandemic
- 64%
Factors associated with vaccination
- Discussions with the rheumatologist about vaccination during follow-up or before initiating treatment were positively associated with vaccination
Original publication
Vaccination rates in rheumatic diseases: a cross-sectional register study on the role of patient beliefs and physician engagement. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 15 March 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →