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Herlitz L, Ashford E, Powell C, Herbert K, Morris S, Woodman J. Access to primary care for children and young people (CYP) in the UK: a scoping review of CYP's, caregivers' and healthcare professionals' views and experiences of facilitators and barriers. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e081620. [PMID: 38816045 PMCID: PMC11141190 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine children and young people's (CYP), caregivers' and healthcare professionals' (HCPs) views or experiences of facilitators and barriers to CYP access to UK primary care services to better understand healthcare inequity. To explore differences across CYP subpopulations with greater health needs from deprived areas, identifying as ethnic minorities, with experiences of state care, special educational needs or disabilities, chronic conditions or mental health problems. DESIGN Scoping review. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Included studies were in English, published 2012-2022 and reported: the views/experiences of CYP (0-25 years), caregivers or HCPs about accessing UK primary care; using quantitative or qualitative empirical methods. DATA SOURCES PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Scopus. RESULTS We included 47 reports (46 studies). CYP/caregivers' decision to access care was facilitated by CYP/caregivers' or their family/friends' ability to identify a health issue as warranting healthcare attention. Barriers to accessing care included perceived stigma (eg, being seen as a bad parent), embarrassment and discrimination experiences. CYP and caregivers believed longer opening hours could facilitate more timely access to care. Caregivers and HCPs reported that delayed or rejected referrals to secondary or adult care were a barrier to having needs met, especially for CYP with poor mental health. CYP and caregivers in numerous studies emphasised the importance of communication and trust with HCPs, including taking their concerns seriously, being knowledgeable and providing continuity of care for CYP. Common barriers reported across high-need subpopulations were caregivers needing knowledge and confidence to advocate for their child, gaps in HCP's knowledge and a lack of connectedness between primary and secondary care. CONCLUSIONS Connecting general practices and community health workers/services, improving CYP/caregivers' understanding of common childhood conditions, addressing HCP's knowledge gaps in paediatric care and integrated approaches between primary and secondary care may reduce inequity in access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Herlitz
- NIHR Children and Families Policy Research Unit, Population, Policy and Practice, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Emily Ashford
- Thomas Coram Research Unit, UCL Social Research Institute, London, UK
| | - Claire Powell
- NIHR Children and Families Policy Research Unit, Population, Policy and Practice, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Kevin Herbert
- Public Health & Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Stephen Morris
- Public Health & Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jenny Woodman
- Thomas Coram Research Unit, UCL Social Research Institute, London, UK
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Herbert K, Herlitz L, Woodman J, Powell C, Morris S. Patient and caregiver characteristics associated with differential use of primary care for children and young people in the UK: a scoping review. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e078505. [PMID: 38760051 PMCID: PMC11103219 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To systematically map evidence to answer the research question: What is the relationship between the characteristics of children and young people (CYP) or their caregivers and primary care service use in the UK, taking into account underlying healthcare needs? DESIGN: Scoping review. SETTING Primary care. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA English-language quantitative or mixed-methods studies published between 2012 and 2022. DATA SOURCES Medline, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science Social Sciences Citation Index, and grey literature. RESULTS 22 eligible studies were identified, covering general practice (n=14), dental health (n=4), child mental health (MN) services (n=3) and immunisation (n=1). Only eight studies (36%) controlled for variables associated with healthcare need (eg, age, birth weight and long-term conditions). In these, evidence of horizontal inequity in primary care use was reported for CYP living in deprived areas in England, with and without complex needs. Horizontal inequity was also identified in primary care MN referrals for CYP in England identifying as mixed-race, Asian or black ethnicity, compared with their white British peers. No evidence of horizontal inequity was observed, however, in primary care use for CYP in England exposed to parental depression, or for CYP children from low-income households in Scotland. Increasing CYP's age was associated with decreasing primary care use across included studies. No studies were found regarding CYP from Gypsy or Traveller communities, children in care, or those with disabilities or special educational needs. CONCLUSIONS There is evidence that socioeconomic factors impact on CYP's primary care use, in particular age, ethnicity and deprivation. However, better quality evidence is required to evaluate horizontal inequity in use and address knowledge gaps regarding primary care use for vulnerable CYP populations and the impact of policy and practice related 'supply side' of primary care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Herbert
- Cambridge Research Methods Hub, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lauren Herlitz
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Jenny Woodman
- Institute of Education, UCL Social Research Institute, London, UK
| | - Claire Powell
- Population, Policy and Practice Department, UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Stephen Morris
- Cambridge Research Methods Hub, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
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Suffel AM, Walker JL, Williamson E, McDonald HI, Warren-Gash C. Timeliness of childhood vaccination in England: A population-based cohort study. Vaccine 2023; 41:5775-5781. [PMID: 37574342 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Vaccine surveillance for children in England focuses on coverage at ages 1, 2, and 5 years. Previous studies exploring vaccine timeliness have used different arbitrary categories to define whether vaccines were received 'late' or 'on time'. This paper aims to provide more detailed and holistic information on timing and patterns of vaccine uptake across the childhood immunisation schedule in England. METHODS We included all children born in England between 2006 and 2014 and registered in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) Aurum, a primary care electronic health record. We described vaccine uptake for representative antigens (pertussis, pneumococcus, measles) by age in days and stratified by ethnicity, region and birth cohort. Alluvial diagrams were used to illustrate common journeys through the vaccination schedule, and we applied survival analysis using accelerated failure time models (AFT) to predict age of vaccine receipt based on timing of previous doses. RESULTS 573,015 children were followed up until their fifth birthday, when they had 90.16 % coverage for two doses of measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and 88.78% coverage for four doses of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP) vaccine. Overall, the later the age at which a vaccine was due, the more delay in vaccination. Children of Black Ethnicity or from London showed deviating uptake patterns. If a child received their third DTP dose more than a year later than recommended, they would receive the next dose 2.7 times later than a child who was vaccinated on time. A smaller delay was found for children who did not receive first MMR dose on time. DISCUSSION We showed that the risk of vaccination delay increased with the age of the child and significant delay of previous doses. Primary care data can help to promptly identify children at higher risk of delayed vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M Suffel
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom; Health Protection Research Unit in Vaccines and Immunisation at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom.
| | - Jemma L Walker
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom; Health Protection Research Unit in Vaccines and Immunisation at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom; UK Health Security Agency, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Williamson
- Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom
| | - Helen I McDonald
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom; Health Protection Research Unit in Vaccines and Immunisation at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom; Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte Warren-Gash
- Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom
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Walton S, Cortina-Borja M, Dezateux C, Griffiths LJ, Tingay K, Akbari A, Bandyopadhyay A, Lyons RA, Roberts R, Bedford H. Linking cohort data and Welsh routine health records to investigate children at risk of delayed primary vaccination. Vaccine 2022; 40:5016-5022. [PMID: 35842339 PMCID: PMC10499753 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.06.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Delayed primary vaccination is one of the strongest predictors of subsequent incomplete immunisation. Identifying children at risk of such delay may enable targeting of interventions, thus decreasing vaccine-preventable illness. OBJECTIVES To explore socio-demographic factors associated with delayed receipt of the Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (DTP) vaccine. METHODS We included 1,782 children, born between 2000 and 2001, participating in the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) and resident in Wales, whose parents gave consent for linkage to National Community Child Health Database records at the age seven years contact. We examined child, maternal, family and area characteristics associated with delayed receipt of the first dose of the DTP vaccine. RESULTS 98.6% received the first dose of DTP. The majority, 79.6% (n = 1,429) received it on time (between 8 and 12 weeks of age), 14.2% (n = 251) received it early (prior to 8 weeks of age) and 4.8% (n = 79) were delayed (after 12 weeks of age); 1.4% (n = 23) never received it. Delayed primary vaccination was more likely among children with older natural siblings (risk ratio 3.82, 95% confidence interval (1.97, 7.38)), children admitted to special/intensive care (3.15, (1.65, 5.99)), those whose birth weight was > 4Kg (2.02, (1.09, 3.73)) and boys (1.53, (1.01, 2.31)). There was a reduced risk of delayed vaccination with increasing maternal age (0.73, (0.53, 1.00) per 5 year increase) and for babies born to graduate mothers (0.27, (0.08, 0.90)). CONCLUSIONS Although the majority of infants were vaccinated in a timely manner, identification of infants at increased risk of early or delayed vaccination will enable targeting of interventions to facilitate timely immunisation. This is to our knowledge the first study exploring individual level socio-demographic factors associated with delayed primary vaccination in the UK and demonstrates the benefits of linking cohort data to routinely-collected child health data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Walton
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Mario Cortina-Borja
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Carol Dezateux
- Centre for Primary Care, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, E1 2AB, UK
| | - Lucy J Griffiths
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, WC1N 1EH, UK; Population Data Science, Administrative Data Research UK, Swansea University, Wales, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Karen Tingay
- Office for National Statistics, Cardiff Road, Newport, NP10 8XG, UK
| | - Ashley Akbari
- Population Data Science, Administrative Data Research UK, Swansea University, Wales, SA2 8PP, UK; Population Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Amrita Bandyopadhyay
- Population Data Science, Administrative Data Research UK, Swansea University, Wales, SA2 8PP, UK; Population Data Science, National Centre for Population Health and Wellbeing Research, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Ronan A Lyons
- Population Data Science, Administrative Data Research UK, Swansea University, Wales, SA2 8PP, UK; Population Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Richard Roberts
- Public Health Wales, 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff, CF10 4BZ, UK
| | - Helen Bedford
- Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
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Ekezie W, Awwad S, Krauchenberg A, Karara N, Dembiński Ł, Grossman Z, del Torso S, Dornbusch HJ, Neves A, Copley S, Mazur A, Hadjipanayis A, Grechukha Y, Nohynek H, Damnjanović K, Lazić M, Papaevangelou V, Lapii F, Stein-Zamir C, Rath B. Access to Vaccination among Disadvantaged, Isolated and Difficult-to-Reach Communities in the WHO European Region: A Systematic Review. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:1038. [PMID: 35891201 PMCID: PMC9324407 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10071038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccination has a significant impact on morbidity and mortality. High vaccination coverage rates are required to achieve herd protection against vaccine-preventable diseases. However, limited vaccine access and hesitancy among specific communities represent significant obstacles to this goal. This review provides an overview of critical factors associated with vaccination among disadvantaged groups in World Health Organisation European countries. Initial searches yielded 18,109 publications from four databases, and 104 studies from 19 out of 53 countries reporting 22 vaccine-preventable diseases were included. Nine groups representing the populations of interest were identified, and most of the studies focused on asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and deprived communities. Recall of previous vaccinations received was poor, and serology was conducted in some cases to confirm protection for those who received prior vaccinations. Vaccination coverage was lower among study populations compared to the general population or national average. Factors that influenced uptake, which presented differently at different population levels, included health service accessibility, language and vaccine literacy, including risk perception, disease severity and vaccination benefits. Strategies that could be implemented in vaccination policy and programs were also identified. Overall, interventions specific to target communities are vital to improving uptake. More innovative strategies need to be deployed to improve vaccination coverage among disadvantaged groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winifred Ekezie
- Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative e.V., 10437 Berlin, Germany; (W.E.); (S.A.)
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG5 1PB, UK
- College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE5 4PW, UK
- ImmuHubs Consortium, Coordinating Entity: Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative e.V., 10437 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Samy Awwad
- Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative e.V., 10437 Berlin, Germany; (W.E.); (S.A.)
- ImmuHubs Consortium, Coordinating Entity: Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative e.V., 10437 Berlin, Germany;
- Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA
| | - Arja Krauchenberg
- ImmuHubs Consortium, Coordinating Entity: Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative e.V., 10437 Berlin, Germany;
- European Parents Association, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nora Karara
- Young European Academy of Paediatrics, 1000 Brussels, Belgium;
- Evangelical Hospital Queen Elisabeth Herzberge, 10365 Berlin, Germany
| | - Łukasz Dembiński
- European Academy of Paediatrics, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; (Ł.D.); (Z.G.); (S.d.T.); (H.J.D.); (A.N.); (S.C.); (A.M.); (A.H.); (Y.G.); (V.P.); (F.L.)
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Zachi Grossman
- European Academy of Paediatrics, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; (Ł.D.); (Z.G.); (S.d.T.); (H.J.D.); (A.N.); (S.C.); (A.M.); (A.H.); (Y.G.); (V.P.); (F.L.)
- Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel
| | - Stefano del Torso
- European Academy of Paediatrics, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; (Ł.D.); (Z.G.); (S.d.T.); (H.J.D.); (A.N.); (S.C.); (A.M.); (A.H.); (Y.G.); (V.P.); (F.L.)
| | - Hans Juergen Dornbusch
- European Academy of Paediatrics, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; (Ł.D.); (Z.G.); (S.d.T.); (H.J.D.); (A.N.); (S.C.); (A.M.); (A.H.); (Y.G.); (V.P.); (F.L.)
| | - Ana Neves
- European Academy of Paediatrics, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; (Ł.D.); (Z.G.); (S.d.T.); (H.J.D.); (A.N.); (S.C.); (A.M.); (A.H.); (Y.G.); (V.P.); (F.L.)
| | - Sian Copley
- European Academy of Paediatrics, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; (Ł.D.); (Z.G.); (S.d.T.); (H.J.D.); (A.N.); (S.C.); (A.M.); (A.H.); (Y.G.); (V.P.); (F.L.)
| | - Artur Mazur
- European Academy of Paediatrics, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; (Ł.D.); (Z.G.); (S.d.T.); (H.J.D.); (A.N.); (S.C.); (A.M.); (A.H.); (Y.G.); (V.P.); (F.L.)
| | - Adamos Hadjipanayis
- European Academy of Paediatrics, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; (Ł.D.); (Z.G.); (S.d.T.); (H.J.D.); (A.N.); (S.C.); (A.M.); (A.H.); (Y.G.); (V.P.); (F.L.)
| | - Yevgenii Grechukha
- European Academy of Paediatrics, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; (Ł.D.); (Z.G.); (S.d.T.); (H.J.D.); (A.N.); (S.C.); (A.M.); (A.H.); (Y.G.); (V.P.); (F.L.)
| | - Hanna Nohynek
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, FI-00271 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Kaja Damnjanović
- Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, 11000 Beograd, Serbia;
| | - Milica Lazić
- Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Vana Papaevangelou
- European Academy of Paediatrics, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; (Ł.D.); (Z.G.); (S.d.T.); (H.J.D.); (A.N.); (S.C.); (A.M.); (A.H.); (Y.G.); (V.P.); (F.L.)
| | - Fedir Lapii
- European Academy of Paediatrics, 1000 Brussels, Belgium; (Ł.D.); (Z.G.); (S.d.T.); (H.J.D.); (A.N.); (S.C.); (A.M.); (A.H.); (Y.G.); (V.P.); (F.L.)
| | | | - Barbara Rath
- Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative e.V., 10437 Berlin, Germany; (W.E.); (S.A.)
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG5 1PB, UK
- ImmuHubs Consortium, Coordinating Entity: Vienna Vaccine Safety Initiative e.V., 10437 Berlin, Germany;
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Bauwens J, de Lusignan S, Sherlock J, Ferreira F, Künzli N, Bonhoeffer J. Adherence to the paediatric immunisation schedule in England. Vaccine X 2021; 9:100125. [PMID: 34825165 PMCID: PMC8604676 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvacx.2021.100125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Both adequate coverage and adherence to paediatric immunisation schedules are required for optimal protection against vaccine preventable diseases. We studied the timeliness of routine paediatric vaccinations according to the NHS’s immunisation schedule and potential factors of schedule adherence. Immunisation data was obtained from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC). We collected vaccine types, doses, and dates for all routine paediatric vaccines between 2008 and 2018: DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB, DTaP/IPV/Hib, DTaP/IPV, dTaP/IPV, Td/IPV, MMR, PCV, MenB, MenC, MenACWY, Hib/MenC, RV, HPV. Adherence to the immunisation schedule was calculated for each vaccine and dose. Differences in adherence between genders, NHS regions, and IMD quintiles were analysed. Our study included 6′257′828 vaccinations in 1′005′827 children. Seventy-five percent of first doses were administered within one (for vaccines scheduled in the first year of life) or two months (for vaccines scheduled later in life) following the recommended age, 19% too late and 6% too early. About half of the subsequent doses were given timely. The time between first and second doses was too short for 36% of vaccinations while 13% of second doses were administered too long after the first dose. Third doses were administered timely for 45%, too short for 37%, and too long for 18% of vaccinations. Differences in immunisation schedule adherence between girls and boys were negligible, except for HPV, and differences between the four main NHS regions were small. Overall, immunisation schedule adherence improved slightly with decreasing deprivation according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation. Efforts are required to improve the timeliness of paediatric vaccinations and to assure adequate protection against vaccine preventable diseases. We propose developing a compound measure combining coverage and adherence to provide a better indication of the protection against vaccine preventable diseases in a community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorgen Bauwens
- University of Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel Children's Hospital, Switzerland
| | - Simon de Lusignan
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.,Royal College of General Practitioners, United Kingdom
| | - Julian Sherlock
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Filipa Ferreira
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nino Künzli
- University of Basel, Switzerland.,Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Switzerland
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Perry M, Akbari A, Cottrell S, Gravenor MB, Roberts R, Lyons RA, Bedston S, Torabi F, Griffiths L. Inequalities in coverage of COVID-19 vaccination: A population register based cross-sectional study in Wales, UK. Vaccine 2021; 39:6256-6261. [PMID: 34544601 PMCID: PMC8423991 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted existing health inequalities for ethnic minority groups and those living in more socioeconomically deprived areas in the UK. With higher levels of severe outcomes in these groups, equitable vaccination coverage should be prioritised. The aim of this study was to identify inequalities in coverage of COVID-19 vaccination in Wales, UK and to highlight areas which may benefit from routine enhanced surveillance and targeted interventions. Records within the Wales Immunisation System (WIS) population register were linked to the Welsh Demographic Service Dataset (WDSD) and central list of shielding patients, held within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank. Ethnic group was derived from the 2011 census and over 20 administrative electronic health record (EHR) data sources. Uptake of first dose of any COVID-19 vaccine was analysed over time, with the odds of being vaccinated as at 25th April 2021 by sex, health board of residence, rural/urban classification, deprivation quintile and ethnic group presented. Using logistic regression models, analyses were adjusted for age group, care home resident status, health and social care worker status and shielding status. This study included 1,256,412 individuals aged 50 years and over. Vaccine coverage increased steadily from 8th December 2020 until mid-April 2021. Overall uptake of first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in this group was 92.1%. After adjustment the odds of being vaccinated were lower for individuals who were male, resident in the most deprived areas, resident in an urban area and an ethnic group other than White. The largest inequality was seen between ethnic groups, with the odds of being vaccinated 0.22 (95 %CI 0.21-0.24) if in any Black ethnic group compared to any White ethnic group. Ongoing monitoring of inequity in uptake of vaccinations is required, with better targeted interventions and engagement with deprived and ethnic communities to improve vaccination uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malorie Perry
- Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme and Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Public Health Wales, 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff CF10 4BZ, Wales, UK; Population Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK.
| | - Ashley Akbari
- Population Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK.
| | - Simon Cottrell
- Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme and Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Public Health Wales, 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff CF10 4BZ, Wales, UK.
| | - Michael B Gravenor
- Population Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK.
| | - Richard Roberts
- Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme and Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, Public Health Wales, 2 Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff CF10 4BZ, Wales, UK.
| | - Ronan A Lyons
- Population Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK.
| | - Stuart Bedston
- Population Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK.
| | - Fatemah Torabi
- Population Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK.
| | - Lucy Griffiths
- Population Data Science, Health Data Research UK, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK.
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