Background:
Calls to Cancer Council Victoria’s 13 11 20 Information and Support Service suggest people with cancer may be concerned about whether to have the COVID-19 vaccine.
With various challenges and messages emerging regarding COVID vaccination in Australia, providing tailored information, communications and strategies, informed by the experiences and attitudes of people with cancer toward the COVID-19 vaccine, will be important to understand and inform uptake amongst this cohort.
This is supported by a recent COVID-19 Vaccine Preparedness Study report, recommending the delivery of personalised information about the benefits and risks of vaccination that are clear, simple and from a trusted source as an enabler of vaccine uptake.
Aim:
Cancer Council Victoria and National Centre for Infections in Cancer at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre have developed an online survey to explore the attitudes and experiences of people affected by cancer toward the COVID-19 vaccine.
Methods:
Eligible participants (people diagnosed or treated for cancer in the past 5-years) will be recruited using the digital and social medial channels of major cancer advocacy and support organisations. The survey will be open for one-month (August 2021) or until the recruitment target (1000 participants) is reached. The survey contains 21 questions that align with interim guidance from the World Health Organization on measuring the behavioural and social drivers of vaccination. Questions were developed in consultation with other major cancer advocacy organisations and community representatives.
Results:
Survey responses will be presented at the conference and will be analysed according to participant demographics and whether participants have been or intend to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Conclusions:
The results of this survey will be used to tailor information, communications and strategies to help people affected by cancer understand and access the COVID-19 vaccine in Australia.