Sociodemographic Risk Factors for Incomplete Routine Childhood Immunizations Among Children Born During the COVID-19...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Childhood Immunization

Background:

• Routine childhood vaccination rates decreased nationwide for children born in 2020-2021.
• This decline occurred during widespread healthcare disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Identifying sociodemographic risk factors is crucial for understanding disparities in childhood immunizations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify sociodemographic risk factors associated with incomplete 7-vaccine series in children born during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To analyze individual and census-tract level factors linked to missed vaccine doses.
• To inform strategies for maintaining childhood immunization access during public health emergencies.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Louisiana's Immunization Information System data for children born March 2020–July 2021.
• Assessed 7-vaccine series completion by 24 months of age.
• Employed regression analyses and machine-learning models, incorporating geocoded addresses to link social vulnerability factors with vaccination status.

Main Results:

• Children living farther from vaccination sites had higher odds of being short one dose (AOR=1.12).
• Residing in census tracts with higher low-income populations increased odds of being one dose short (AOR=1.14) and missing multiple doses (AOR=1.18).
• Children in areas with larger non-White populations had higher odds of missing multiple doses (AOR=1.07).

Conclusions:

• Socially vulnerable communities face significant barriers to routine childhood immunizations.
• Distance to healthcare facilities and socioeconomic/racial composition of neighborhoods are key risk factors.
• Further research is needed to develop best practices for ensuring healthcare access, including immunizations, for vulnerable populations during future health crises.