Some statistics on disabled people and vaccines
We have taken a look at results from the Ministry of Health's Horizon study - research that is part of an ongoing series that looks into New Zealanders’ attitudes and public sentiment towards the COVID-19 vaccines to see what we could unpack about disabled people.
Key statistics
From August 2021:
- 64% of those living with impairments or long-term health conditions and 61% of those who identify as disabled reported as already being vaccinated, in comparison to 53% of all respondents.
- 12% of those that identified as disabled reported being unlikely to get a COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 9% of all respondents
- Overall potential uptake by respondents who identify as disabled is 86%, same as all respondents
- People who reported living with impairments or long-term health conditions, or individuals who identified as disabled, were more concerned than average about:
- Whether the vaccine will adversely affect their existing medical conditions and symptoms.
- How the side effects would affect them.
- What might happen if they have an adverse reaction to the vaccine.
- Whether the vaccine might affect their health in other ways.
- Whether the vaccine may leave their health worse overall.
- Those who identified as disabled noted the following key influences for vaccination uptake:
- “Being vaccinated will protect me from the effects of COVID-19” (31%).
- “Information about side-effects” (27%).
- “The benefits of taking the vaccine would outweigh any risks” (24%).
- “Helping protect the health of my family/whānau and those closest to me” (23%).
- “Has been through extensive, properly conducted, clinical trials” (22%).
- “Helping reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection and the prospect of further lockdowns and economic harm” (20%).
Read more about the study on the Ministry of Health website.
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