Long-term Behavioral Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Impact of Vaccination in Patients With Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To explore anxiety and self-isolation in patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease (IRD)15 months into the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, including attitudes toward and effects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.

METHODS:

A nationwide online survey was conducted at 3 timepoints: May 2020, November 2020, and May 2021. Patients with IRD followed in the Danish Rheumatology Quality Registry (DANBIO) were asked about the effects of the pandemic, including SARS-CoV-2 infection and their behavior, anxiety, and concerns. The May 2021 survey included attitudes toward SARS-CoV-2 and influenza vaccination. Characteristics associated with self-isolation in May 2021 were explored with adjusted logistic regression analyses that included patient characteristics and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status.

RESULTS:

Respondents to surveys 1, 2, and 3 included 12,789; 14,755; and 13,921 patients, respectively; 64% had rheumatoid arthritis and 63% were female. Anxiety and concerns were highest in May 2020 and decreased to stable levels in November 2020 and May 2021; 86%, 50%, and 52% of respondents reported self-isolation, respectively. In May 2021, 4% of respondents self-reported previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. The SARS-CoV-2 vaccine acceptance rate was 86%, and the proportion of patients vaccinated against influenza had increased from 50% in winter 2019-2020 to 64% in winter 2020-2021. The proportion of patients with anxiety appeared similar among those vaccinated and unvaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. In multivariable analyses, being unvaccinated, female gender, receiving biologic drugs, and poor quality of life were independently associated with self-isolation.

CONCLUSION:

Levels of anxiety and self-isolation decreased after the initial lockdown period in patients with IRD. Half of the patients reported self-isolation in May 2021, a phase that included widespread reopening of society and large-scale vaccination. The lack of prepandemic data prevented a full understanding of the long-term effects of the pandemic on anxiety and self-isolation in patients with IRD.

• Authors: Bente Glintborg, Dorte Vendelbo Jensen, Lene Terslev, Oliver Hendricks, Mikkel Østergaard, Simon Horskjær Rasmussen, Mogens Pfeiffer Jensen, Thomas Adelsten, Ada Colic, Kamilla Danebod, Malene Kildemand, Anne Gitte Loft, Heidi Lausten Munk, Jens Kristian Pedersen, René Drage Østgård, Christian Møller Sørensen, Niels Steen Krogh, Jette Nørgaard Agerbo, Connie Ziegler, Merete Lund Hetland
• Journal: The Journal of rheumatology (J Rheumatol) Vol. 49 Issue 10 Pg. 1163-1172 (10 2022) ISSN: 0315-162X [Print] Canada
• PMID: 35705237 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 by the Journal of Rheumatology.

Chemical References

• COVID-19 Vaccines
• Biological Products

Topics

• Humans
• Female
• Male
• Pandemics (prevention & control)
• COVID-19 (prevention & control)
• COVID-19 Vaccines (therapeutic use)
• SARS-CoV-2
• Influenza, Human (epidemiology, prevention & control)
• Quality of Life
• Communicable Disease Control
• Vaccination
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid
• Biological Products
• Rheumatic Diseases