Identifying interventions with Gypsies, Roma and Travellers to promote immunisation uptake: methodological approach...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Equity
• Community Health Interventions

Background:

• Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) communities in the UK face challenges with low or variable immunisation uptake.
• Standard strategies may not suffice, necessitating tailored approaches for GRT populations.
• A need exists for robust methods to identify acceptable, feasible, effective, and cost-effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the process of identifying potential interventions to increase immunisation uptake in six GRT communities.
• To present a prioritised list of interventions developed through a co-production approach.

Main Methods:

• A modified intervention mapping process was used to generate intervention ideas.
• A two-step prioritisation activity involved workshops with GRT members and service providers.
• The Social Ecological Model provided the theoretical framework for the study.

Main Results:

• Five priority interventions were agreed upon for improving immunisation uptake among housed or settled GRTs.
• These interventions focus on the Institutional (e.g., cultural competence training) and Policy (e.g., protected funding) levels of the Social Ecological Model.

Conclusions:

• The identified interventions highlight the critical role of GP practices, frontline workers, and NHS systems in enhancing immunisation uptake.
• These interventions may have broader applicability beyond GRT communities and are potentially more effective as a combined package.
• The co-production methodology used is adaptable for other communities experiencing low immunisation rates.