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Strategies to Enhance Vaccine Uptake and Immunization Among Underserved Populations/Vulnerable...
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Strategies to Enhance Vaccine Uptake and Immunization Among Underserved Populations/Vulnerable Groups

A special issue of Vaccines (ISSN 2076-393X). This special issue belongs to the section "Human Vaccines and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 2256

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Álvaro Francisco Lopes De Sousa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil
Interests: infectious diseases; global health; human exposome; vulnerable groups
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on strategies to increase vaccination rates among vulnerable populations. We invite submissions investigating the complex factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy in underserved groups and the effectiveness of targeted intervention strategies. Research that addresses interventions aimed at underserved groups is also highly encouraged. This Special Issue aspires to equip public health professionals, policymakers, and healthcare providers with actionable approaches to enhance vaccine acceptance and immunization rates among populations most impacted by health disparities.

Dr. Álvaro Francisco Lopes De Sousa
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Vaccines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vaccine uptake
  • vulnerable populations
  • health interventions
  • vaccine hesitancy
  • public health strategies
  • health education and equity

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 335 KiB  
Article
Parental Barriers and Sociodemographic Disparities in Childhood Vaccination Post-COVID-19 in Tennessee
by Sanjaya Regmi, Elizabeth Sowell, Chenoa D. Allen, Benjamin E. Jones, Nan M. Gaylord and Victoria Niederhauser
Vaccines 2025, 13(5), 452; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13050452 - 24 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1284
Abstract
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine childhood vaccinations schedules, posing significant challenges among underserved communities. Understanding how different sociodemographic groups in Tennessee perceive and navigate childhood vaccination barriers is critical for developing strategies to improve vaccination rates and reduce vulnerability to vaccine-preventable diseases. [...] Read more.
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine childhood vaccinations schedules, posing significant challenges among underserved communities. Understanding how different sociodemographic groups in Tennessee perceive and navigate childhood vaccination barriers is critical for developing strategies to improve vaccination rates and reduce vulnerability to vaccine-preventable diseases. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to explore barriers to vaccination across diverse sociodemographic groups in Tennessee. Data were collected from caregivers/parents of children aged 18 years and younger across all 95 counties in Tennessee at community events and through partnerships with schools and other local organizations. Parental responses were analyzed to identify barriers in access, concern, and importance domains. The distribution of barriers across different sociodemographic groups such as race, income, education level, and insurance status was identified. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, and log-binomial regressions were used to address the research objectives. Results: This study found that the most prominent barriers to childhood vaccination were concerns regarding vaccine safety and side effects. Significant differences in vaccine barriers were observed across racial and ethnic groups for access barriers (p < 0.001), concern barriers (p = 0.006), and importance barriers (p < 0.001). Parents with lower education levels, children without health insurance, and lower-income families faced disproportionate challenges across two of the three barrier domains studied (access and perceived importance of vaccines). Additionally, concern barriers (aPR = 0.998, p < 0.001) and importance barriers (aPR = 0.997, p < 0.001) were strongly associated with the parent-reported prevalence of up-to-date vaccination status. Conclusions: Addressing parental vaccination barriers related to concern, access, and perceived importance is crucial, particularly for underserved populations including low-income families, uninsured parents, racial/ethnic minorities, and those with limited education. A sustained, equity-focused approach integrating scientific communication, community engagement, and policy interventions is essential for increasing vaccine uptake and ensuring equitable vaccination access. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies to Enhance Vaccine Uptake and Immunization Among Underserved Populations/Vulnerable Groups)
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11 pages, 409 KiB  
Article
Vaccination Coverage in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients
by Angeles Bouzas-Rodríguez, Germán Molina-Romera, Juan Manuel Vázquez-Lago, Olalla Vázquez-Cancela and Cristina Fernández-Pérez
Vaccines 2025, 13(3), 257; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13030257 - 28 Feb 2025
Viewed by 634
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) experience profound immunosuppression, increasing their risk of infections. Revaccination is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate post-transplant vaccination coverage among patients treated at a specialized reference center. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) experience profound immunosuppression, increasing their risk of infections. Revaccination is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate post-transplant vaccination coverage among patients treated at a specialized reference center. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, retrospective study including patients who underwent HSCT between 1 January 2018 and 31 May 2021. Vaccination coverage was assessed for each recommended vaccine, and full compliance was defined according to the Spanish Ministry of Health guidelines. A competing risk survival analysis was performed to account for loss to follow-up due to death. Data analysis was carried out using STATA v15. Results: Among 138 included patients, 22.46% (31/138) died, and 11.59% (16/138) relapsed. Of the 107 patients who remained in follow-up at 19 months, 41.12% (44/107) (95% CI: 32.26–50.59) had completed the full vaccination schedule, while only 1.87% (2/107) (95% CI: 0.51–6.56) achieved temporal compliance. No significant association was observed between sex and vaccination status or competing risks (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Post-HSCT vaccination coverage remains suboptimal, highlighting the need for improved vaccination programs, multidisciplinary patient support, and enhanced public and professional awareness to ensure timely immunization in this high-risk population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies to Enhance Vaccine Uptake and Immunization Among Underserved Populations/Vulnerable Groups)
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