Covid-19 Vaccination for Persons with Disability, Attitude and Uptake Survey

July 2021

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The Covid-19 Vaccination for Persons with Disability, Attitude and Uptake Survey Pilot was organized with the support and cooperation of:

• Department of Women and Child Development Government of Karnataka (GOK);
• Department of Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens GOK; 
• BBMP Bengaluru;
• Karnataka State Legal Services Authority Bengaluru;
• Carers Worldwide and
• Amend Bengaluru

Need for the survey was highlighted by the Disability Commissioner’s Office GOK. The survey was administered by Disability Entrepreneurship And Leadership Foundation as part of its response to the second wave of Covid-19 Pandemic.

The survey was carried out using a random sampling method over the period 12^th to 16^th July.

A five-point Likert Scale Questionnaire was developed and used to capture a greater degree of nuanced opinion on Covid-19 Vaccination uptake by survey respondents than seeking a simple (yes/no) response. Residents from 386 households from Yediyur Ward located in South Bengaluru took part in the survey.

The survey data shows that:

• Majority of respondents (91%) said they were very certain about taking the Covid-19 Vaccination.
• 66% respondents said that their decision to get vaccinated depended on members of their household.
• Nearly 11% respondents said they were unlikely to get vaccinated without help from others.
• Majority of respondents (88%) said that help should be offered to persons with disability to get vaccinated.
• Similarly, 84% respondents said help should be offered to carers of persons with disability to get vaccinated.
• An overwhelming majority of respondents (90%) said that help offered to persons with disability to get vaccinated would result in more persons getting vaccinated.
• A total of 87% respondents said they would consider taking the vaccine with 10% respondents stating they would overlook taking the vaccine. 8% of respondents said they would overlook due to concerns of safety and/or side effects and the remainder (2%) of respondents cited personal beliefs as the reason to overlook taking the vaccine.

Data from the survey pilot provides useful insights into attitudes and opinion on the uptake of Covid-19 Vaccination in the general population and how they view the situation as it relates to persons with disability.

Insights gained from the pilot survey, can help improve targeting of persons with disability and rollout of the Government’s Covid-19 Vaccination Programme.  Further research and analysis on lived experiences of persons with disability will be required to improve Covid-19 Vaccination delivery and understand true impact the Pandemic is continuing to have in the lives of persons with disability.

 This requires additional resources, integrated policy response and a holistic approach to inclusion. All of which would be beyond the scope of this pilot survey and warrant a wider discussion and response from different stakeholders involved.