The impact of the pandemic and the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy on people living with HIV: a single-center cross-sectional study in Caracas, Venezuela

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted multiple health services, including HIV testing, care, and treatment services, jeopardizing the achievement of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 global target. While there are limited studies assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Latin America, there are none, to our knowledge, in Venezuela. This study aims to assess the impact of the pandemic and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among PLHIV seen at the outpatient clinic of a reference hospital in Venezuela. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study among PLHIV aged 18 years and over seen at the Infectious Diseases Department of the University Hospital of Caracas, Venezuela between March 2021 and February 2022. Results A total of 238 PLHIV were included in the study. The median age was 43 years (IQR 24), and the majority were male (68.9%). Most patients (88.2%; n  = 210) came for routine check-ups, while 28 (11.3%) were newly diagnosed. The majority of patients (96.1%) were on antiretroviral therapy (ART), but only 67.8% had a viral load test, with almost all (95.6%) being undetectable. Among those who attended regular appointments, 11.9% reported missing at least one medical consultation, and 3.3% reported an interruption in their ART refill. More than half of the patients (55.5%) had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while the rest expressed hesitancy to get vaccinated. Most patients with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy were male (65.1%), younger than 44 years (57.5%), employed (47.2%), and had been diagnosed with HIV for less than one year (33%). However, no statistically significant differences were found between vaccinated patients and those with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Age was a risk factor for missing consultations, while not having an alcoholic habit was identified as a protective factor against missing consultations. Conclusion This study found that the pandemic had a limited impact on adherence to medical consultations and interruptions in ART. However, it documented a high rate of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among PLHIV seen at the University Hospital of Caracas.