Willingness to receive the second booster of COVID-19 vaccine among older adults with cancer: a stratified analysis in four provinces of China

Background Despite the elevated COVID-19 risk for older adults with cancer, vaccine hesitancy poses a significant barrier to their immunization. Intriguingly, there is limited research on the prevalence of willingness to receive the second booster dose and associated determinants in older adults with cancer. Objective Our objective was to ascertain the level of awareness about COVID-19 vaccines and to uncover the factors influencing the willingness to receive the second booster among Chinese cancer patients aged 65 years and over. Methods To achieve our objective, we conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study in four tertiary hospitals from four provinces of China. This involved using a Health Belief Model (HBM) based self-administered questionnaire and medical records. Subsequently, we employed multivariable logistic regression to identify factors influencing the second COVID-19 booster vaccine willingness. Results Our results showed that among 893 eligible participants, 279 (31.24%) were aged 65 years and over, and 614 (68.76%) were younger. Interestingly, the willingness to receive the second COVID-19 booster vaccine was 34.1% (95/279) (OR: 1.043, 95% CI: 0.858, 1.267) in participants aged 65 years and over, which was similar to participants aged under 65 years (34.1% vs. 35.5%, p = 0.673). Furthermore, our findings revealed that a positive attitude toward the booster and recommendations from healthcare providers and family members were positively associated with vaccine willingness. Conversely, perceptions of negative impacts on cancer control and vaccine accessibility regarding the second COVID-19 booster were inversely related to the outcome event (all p 0.05). Conclusion Our study concludes with the finding of a low willingness toward the second COVID-19 booster in Chinese cancer patients, particularly in the older adults, a fact which warrants attention. This reluctance raises their risk of infection and potential for severe outcomes. Consequently, we recommend using media and community outreach to dispel misconceptions, promote the booster’s benefits, and encourage vaccine discussions with healthcare providers and family members.