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Vaccines
Special Issues
COVID-19 Disparities and Vaccine Equity
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COVID-19 Disparities and Vaccine Equity

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 11579

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alika K. Maunakea

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Guest Editor
Department of Native Hawaiian Health, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
Interests: epigenetics; health disparities
Prof. Dr. Ruben Juarez

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Guest Editor
Department of Economics, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
Interests: economics; networks; behavioral economics; health disparities
Dr. May Okihiro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
Interests: health disparities; community-based participatory research

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly compounded health disparities in several minority populations across the world, further widening gaps in social, political, economic, and racial inequities. Despite the availability of effective vaccines developed against SARS-CoV-2, varying degrees of access and uptake among communities affected by historical and cultural trauma continue to adversely impact minority populations, leading to fractured and ineffective responses to COVID-19 mitigation efforts. This Special Issue intends to explore the dynamics of COVID-19 disparities in minority populations internationally and the impact of mitigation efforts, including vaccines, over the course of the pandemic. 

Topics of interest may include but are not limited to:

  • vaccine hesitancy;
  • attitudes and behaviors towards vaccines; 
  • COVID-19 disparities in infection and mortality disproportionally impacting racial/ethnic groups and/or other minorities;
  • community-informed approaches, which may include CBPR methods, communication, and education;
  • long-term health impacts of COVID-19.

Dr. Alika K. Maunakea
Prof. Dr. Ruben Juarez
Dr. May Okihiro
Guest Editors

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

  • COVID-19
  • health disparities
  • vaccine hesitancy

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 3789 KiB  
Article
An Interrupted Time Series Analysis of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Routine Vaccination Uptake in Kenya
by Michael Ngigi, Yola Moride, Anne-Marie Castilloux and Sue Ann Costa Clemens
Vaccines 2024, 12(8), 826; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12080826 - 23 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2157
Abstract
A strategic priority of the World Health Organization’s Immunization Agenda 2030 is to increase vaccination coverage and equity through reaching “zero-dose” children. Through an ecological study, we sought to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the coverage of the pentavalent and [...] Read more.
A strategic priority of the World Health Organization’s Immunization Agenda 2030 is to increase vaccination coverage and equity through reaching “zero-dose” children. Through an ecological study, we sought to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the coverage of the pentavalent and the measles/rubella vaccines in Kenya, without implying causality. The monthly number of doses from January 2017 to August 2022 were obtained from the Kenya Health Information System for the pentavalent and the measles/rubella vaccines. Immediate (step) and long-term (ramp) changes following interruptions occurring during the period from March 2020 to December 2020 were assessed through an interrupted time series analysis using an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model, accounting for seasonality. In December 2020, there was an immediate decrease of 8337, 12,212, and 20,848 in the number of doses for the first, second, and third dose of the pentavalent vaccine, respectively (statistically significant for the third dose only). This corresponded to a percentage relative difference of −21.6, −20.1, and −24.5, respectively, for three doses of pentavalent vaccines, while for measles/rubella vaccine it was −27.3 and −33.6, respectively, for the first and second dose. COVID-19 resulted in interruptions affecting routine immunization, but recovery occurred within four months. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Disparities and Vaccine Equity)
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18 pages, 1203 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Two Educational Interventions for Enhancing COVID-19 Knowledge and Attitudes in a Sample American Indian/Alaska Native Population
by Maya Asami Takagi, Simone T. Rhodes, Jun Hwan Kim, Maxwell King, Stephanie Soukar, Chad Martin, Angela Sasaki Cole, Arlene Chan, Ciara Brennan, Stephen Zyzanski, Barry Kissoondial and Neli Ragina
Vaccines 2024, 12(7), 787; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12070787 - 17 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1724
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing healthcare disparities among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations rooted in historical traumas and systemic marginalization. Methods: This study conducted at a single Indian Health Service (IHS) clinic in central Michigan evaluates two educational interventions for enhancing [...] Read more.
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing healthcare disparities among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations rooted in historical traumas and systemic marginalization. Methods: This study conducted at a single Indian Health Service (IHS) clinic in central Michigan evaluates two educational interventions for enhancing COVID-19 knowledge and attitudes in a sample AI/AN population. Utilizing a pre/post-intervention prospective study design, participants received either a video or infographic educational intervention, followed by a survey assessing their COVID-19 knowledge and attitudes. Results: The results indicate significant improvements in knowledge and attitudes post-intervention, with both modalities proving effective. However, specific factors such as gender, political affiliation, and place of residence influenced COVID-19 attitudes and knowledge, emphasizing the importance of tailored interventions. Conclusions: Despite limitations, this study highlights the critical role of educational interventions in addressing vaccine hesitancy and promoting health equity within AI/AN communities. Moving forward, comprehensive strategies involving increased Indian Health Service funding, culturally relevant interventions, and policy advocacy are crucial in mitigating healthcare disparities and promoting health equity within AI/AN communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Disparities and Vaccine Equity)
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9 pages, 973 KiB  
Article
Household Composition and Inequalities in COVID-19 Vaccination in Wales, UK
by Alex Lench, Malorie Perry, Rhodri D. Johnson, Richard Fry, Gill Richardson, Ronan A. Lyons, Ashley Akbari, Adrian Edwards, Brendan Collins, Natalie Joseph-Williams, Alison Cooper and Simon Cottrell
Vaccines 2023, 11(3), 604; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines11030604 - 7 Mar 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3026
Abstract
The uptake of COVID-19 vaccination in Wales is high at a population level but many inequalities exist. Household composition may be an important factor in COVID-19 vaccination uptake due to the practical, social, and psychological implications associated with different living arrangements. In this [...] Read more.
The uptake of COVID-19 vaccination in Wales is high at a population level but many inequalities exist. Household composition may be an important factor in COVID-19 vaccination uptake due to the practical, social, and psychological implications associated with different living arrangements. In this study, the role of household composition in the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination in Wales was examined with the aim of identifying areas for intervention to address inequalities. Records within the Wales Immunisation System (WIS) COVID-19 vaccination register were linked to the Welsh Demographic Service Dataset (WDSD; a population register for Wales) held within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) databank. Eight household types were defined based on household size, the presence or absence of children, and the presence of single or multiple generations. Uptake of the second dose of any COVID-19 vaccine was analysed using logistic regression. Gender, age group, health board, rural/urban residential classification, ethnic group, and deprivation quintile were included as covariates for multivariable regression. Compared to two-adult households, all other household types were associated with lower uptake. The most significantly reduced uptake was observed for large, multigenerational, adult group households (aOR 0.45, 95%CI 0.43–0.46). Comparing multivariable regression with and without incorporation of household composition as a variable produced significant differences in odds of vaccination for health board, age group, and ethnic group categories. These results indicate that household composition is an important factor for the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination and consideration of differences in household composition is necessary to mitigate vaccination inequalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Disparities and Vaccine Equity)
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18 pages, 2492 KiB  
Article
Dynamics of Trust and Consumption of COVID-19 Information Implicate a Mechanism for COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Uptake
by Ruben Juarez, Zheng Kang, May Okihiro, Blane K. Garcia, Krit Phankitnirundorn and Alika K. Maunakea
Vaccines 2022, 10(9), 1435; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10091435 - 31 Aug 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3820
Abstract
Vaccine hesitancy remains a significant barrier to achieving herd immunity and preventing the further spread of COVID-19. Understanding contributors to vaccine hesitancy and how they change over time may improve COVID-19 mitigation strategies and public health policies. To date, no mechanism explains how [...] Read more.
Vaccine hesitancy remains a significant barrier to achieving herd immunity and preventing the further spread of COVID-19. Understanding contributors to vaccine hesitancy and how they change over time may improve COVID-19 mitigation strategies and public health policies. To date, no mechanism explains how trust in and consumption of different sources of information affect vaccine uptake. A total of 1594 adults enrolled in our COVID-19 testing program completed standardized surveys on demographics, vaccination status, use, reliance, and trust in sources of COVID-19 information, from September to October 2021, during the COVID-19 Delta wave. Of those, 802 individuals (50.3%) completed a follow-up survey, from January to February 2022, during the Omicron-wave. Regression analyses were performed to understand contributors to vaccine and booster uptake over time. Individuals vaccinated within two months of eligibility (early vaccinees) tended to have more years of schooling, with greater trust in and consumption of official sources of COVID-19 information, compared to those who waited 3–6 months (late vaccinees), or those who remained unvaccinated at 6 months post-eligibility (non-vaccinees). Most (70.1%) early vaccinees took the booster shot, compared to only 30.5% of late vaccinees, with the latter group gaining trust and consumption of official information after four months. These data provide the foundation for a mechanism based on the level of trust in and consumption of official information sources, where those who increased their level of trust in and consumption of official information sources were more likely to receive a booster. This study shows that social factors, including education and individual-level degree of trust in (and consumption of) sources of COVID-19 information, interact and change over time to be associated with vaccine and booster uptakes. These results are critical for the development of effective public health policies and offer insights into hesitancy over the course of the COVID-19 vaccine and booster rollout. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19 Disparities and Vaccine Equity)
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