TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessment of the impact of vaccine literacy on influenza vaccination practices among diabetic patients in Iraq
AU - Al-Qerem, Walid
AU - Alsajri, Alaa Hussein
AU - Jarab, Anan
AU - Eberhardt, Judith
AU - al-sa’di, Lujain
AU - Sawaftah, Lama
AU - Aboud, Safa Mohammed
AU - Jameel, Manar Ahmed
AU - Jassim, Ataa Ajeel
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2025/12/16
Y1 - 2025/12/16
N2 - Diabetes mellitus (DM) increases susceptibility to infections and severe outcomes, making vaccination a critical preventive strategy. Despite this, vaccine uptake among patients with DM remains suboptimal. Vaccine literacy (VL), the ability to find, understand, evaluate, and use vaccine information, is a key determinant of acceptance, yet evidence from Iraq is scarce. This study assessed VL among diabetic adults in Iraq and examined its association with influenza vaccination. A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and August 2025 among adults with DM. Participants completed the Arabic Vaccine Literacy Assessment tool (HLVa-Ar), a sociodemographic survey, and vaccination history. Logistic regression identified factors associated with influenza vaccination, and quantile regression examined predictors of VL scores. Among 473 participants (median age 50 years; 53.1% female), the median VL score was 36 (IQR 30–41). Influenza vaccination coverage was 52.2%. Higher VL scores were positively associated with uptake (OR = 1.062, 95% CI [1.031–1.093], p < 0.001). Female gender and lower income predicted reduced uptake. Lower education and lower predicted lower VL. In conclusion, VL and socioeconomic factors influence vaccination behaviors among Iraqi adults with DM. Strengthening VL through targeted interventions may improve vaccine coverage and reduce complications in this high-risk population.
AB - Diabetes mellitus (DM) increases susceptibility to infections and severe outcomes, making vaccination a critical preventive strategy. Despite this, vaccine uptake among patients with DM remains suboptimal. Vaccine literacy (VL), the ability to find, understand, evaluate, and use vaccine information, is a key determinant of acceptance, yet evidence from Iraq is scarce. This study assessed VL among diabetic adults in Iraq and examined its association with influenza vaccination. A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and August 2025 among adults with DM. Participants completed the Arabic Vaccine Literacy Assessment tool (HLVa-Ar), a sociodemographic survey, and vaccination history. Logistic regression identified factors associated with influenza vaccination, and quantile regression examined predictors of VL scores. Among 473 participants (median age 50 years; 53.1% female), the median VL score was 36 (IQR 30–41). Influenza vaccination coverage was 52.2%. Higher VL scores were positively associated with uptake (OR = 1.062, 95% CI [1.031–1.093], p < 0.001). Female gender and lower income predicted reduced uptake. Lower education and lower predicted lower VL. In conclusion, VL and socioeconomic factors influence vaccination behaviors among Iraqi adults with DM. Strengthening VL through targeted interventions may improve vaccine coverage and reduce complications in this high-risk population.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105024983687
U2 - 10.1080/21645515.2025.2602231
DO - 10.1080/21645515.2025.2602231
M3 - Article
SN - 2164-5515
VL - 21
SP - 1
EP - 10
JO - Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics
JF - Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics
IS - 1
M1 - 2602231
ER -