Spatial and Temporal Trends in Travel for COVID-19 Vaccinations

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Equitable access to vaccines and health services requires understanding travel trends.
• Analyzing travel for COVID-19 vaccinations by demographics is crucial for efficient distribution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine spatial and temporal trends in travel distances for COVID-19 vaccinations.
• To assess travel differences based on gender, race, and age in North Carolina.

Main Methods:

• Utilized electronic medical records from 204,718 COVID-19 vaccination appointments (Dec 2020 - Aug 2021).
• Calculated travel distances using Euclidean distance from home ZIP code centroids to clinic addresses.
• Employed descriptive statistics and multivariable regression models to analyze travel differences.

Main Results:

• Males and White individuals traveled significantly farther for vaccination appointments.
• Females traveled 3.5% shorter distances than males; Black individuals traveled 10.0% shorter than White individuals.
• Older adults (65+) traveled 2.6% farther than younger individuals within the same ZIP codes.

Conclusions:

• Males and White individuals demonstrated a greater ability to travel for vaccinations.
• Findings underscore the need to account for differential travel abilities in health service delivery.
• Demographic disparities in travel highlight potential inequities in access to mass health services.