RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Vaccine hesitancy is a multifaceted decision process that encompasses various factors for which an individual may choose to get vaccinated or not. We aimed to identify the relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy theories, general attitudes towards vaccines, current COVID-19 vaccine factors, and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. METHODS: The present research is a multi-province cross-sectional study design. Survey data were collected in May and June 2021 (n=4905) in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. Multivariate ordinal regression models were used to assess the association between vaccine hesitant profiles and COVID-19 conspiracy theories, general attitudes towards vaccines, and specific factors pertaining to COVID-19 vaccines. RESULTS: Participants were aged 18 to 40 years and 59% were women. Individuals with low income, with low educational attainment, and/or who are unemployed were more likely to be vaccine hesitant. COVID-19 conspiracy theory beliefs and general attitudes towards vaccines are significantly associated with greater hesitancy for the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine factors including pro-vaccine actions and opinions of friends and family and trust in scientists and government as well as the country in which a vaccine is manufactured are associated with less vaccine hesitancy. CONCLUSION: Conspiracy theories are distinct from criticism and concerns regarding the vaccine. Nevertheless, poverty, low level of education, and distrust towards the government are associated with higher odds of being vaccine hesitant. Results suggest it is imperative to deliver transparent and nuanced health communications to address legitimate distrust towards political and scientific actors and address the societal gap regarding general attitudes towards vaccines as opposed to focusing solely on COVID-19.
RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: L'hésitation vaccinale est un processus de décision multidimensionnel qui englobe divers facteurs qui contribuent au choix individuel de se faire vacciner ou non. Cet article étudie la relation entre les théories du complot autour de la COVID-19, les attitudes générales envers les vaccins, les facteurs spécifiques aux vaccins contre la COVID-19 et l'hésitation vaccinale dans le contexte de la COVID-19. MéTHODES: La présente recherche est une étude transversale multi-provinces. Les données de l'enquête ont été recueillies en mai et en juin 2021 (n=4905) en Alberta, en Ontario et au Québec. Des modèles de régression ordinale multivariés ont été utilisés pour évaluer l'association entre l'hésitation à se faire vacciner et les théories du complot autour de la COVID-19, les attitudes générales envers les vaccins et des facteurs spécifiques relatifs aux vaccins contre la COVID-19. RéSULTATS: Les répondants sont âgés de 18 à 40 ans et 59 % s'identifient comme étant des femmes. Les personnes ayant un faible revenu, ayant un faible niveau d'éducation et/ou sans emploi étaient plus susceptibles d'hésiter à se faire vacciner. L'adhésion à la théorie du complot du COVID-19 et les attitudes générales envers les vaccins sont significativement associées à plus d'hésitation à se faire vacciner contre la COVID-19. Les facteurs liés aux vaccins, y compris les actions pro-vaccins et les opinions des amis et de la famille, et la confiance envers les scientifiques et le gouvernement ainsi que le pays de fabrication du vaccin sont associés à moins d'hésitation vaccinale. CONCLUSION: Les théories du complot sont distinctes des préoccupations concernant le vaccin. La pauvreté, le faible niveau d'éducation et la méfiance envers le gouvernement sont associés à des niveaux plus élevés d'hésitation vaccinale. Les résultats suggèrent que les communications en santé devraient être transparentes et nuancées sur la santé de façon à diminuer la méfiance envers les acteurs politiques et scientifiques et à combler le fossé sociétal concernant les attitudes générales envers les vaccins plutôt que de se cibler uniquement la COVID-19.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Vacunas , Femenino , Adulto Joven , Humanos , Masculino , Vacunas contra la COVID-19/uso terapéutico , Estudios Transversales , COVID-19/epidemiología , COVID-19/prevención & control , Alberta , Ontario , VacunaciónRESUMEN
Fibrosis is the most common pathophysiological manifestation of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). It is defined as excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Embedded within the ECM are a family of proteins called Matricellular Proteins (MCPs), which are typically expressed during chronic pathologies for ECM processing. As such, identifying potential MCPs in the pathological secretome of a damaged kidney could serve as diagnostic/therapeutic targets of fibrosis. Using published RNA-Seq data from two kidney injury mouse models of different etiologies, Folic Acid (FA) and Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction (UUO), we compared and contrasted the expression profile of various members from well-known MCP families during the Acute and Fibrotic injury phases. As a result, we identified common and distinct MCP expression signatures between both injury models. Bioinformatic analysis of their differentially expressed MCP genes revealed similar top annotation clusters from Molecular Function and Biological Process networks, which are those commonly involved in fibrosis. Using kidney lysates from FA- and UUO-injured mice, we selected MCP genes from our candidate list to confirm mRNA expression by Western Blot, which correlated with injury progression. Understanding the expressions of MCPs will provide important insight into the processes of kidney repair, and may validate MCPs as biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets of CKD.