COVID-19 vaccine coverage and sociodemographic, behavioural and housing factors associated with vaccination among people experiencing homelessness in Toronto, Canada: a cross-sectional study

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10081245

Language of the publication
English
Date
2022-08-03
Type
Article
Author(s)
  • Richard, Lucie
  • Liu, Michael
  • Jenkinson, Jesse I. R.
  • Nisenbaum, Rosane
  • Brown, Michael
  • Pedersen, Cheryl
  • Hwang, Stephen W.
Publisher
MDPI

Abstract

People experiencing homelessness were prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination in Toronto, Canada, due to the high risk of infection and associated complications relative to the general population. We aimed to ascertain COVID-19 vaccine coverage in this population and explore factors associated with the receipt of at least one dose. We collected survey and blood sample data from individuals ages 16+ recruited by random selection at 62 shelters, hotels and encampment sites between 16 June 2021 and 9 September 2021. We report vaccine coverage by dose number and explored sociodemographic, behavioral, health and housing factors associated with vaccination using multivariable modified Poisson regression. In total, 80.4% (95% CI 77.3–83.1%) received at least one vaccine dose, and 63.6% (CI 60.0–67.0%) received two or more doses. Vaccination was positively associated with age (every 10 years adjusted rate ratio (aRR) 1.05 [95% CI 1.03–1.08]), and receipt of influenza vaccination (aRR 1.19 [95% CI 1.11–1.27]). Factors negatively associated with vaccination included female gender (aRR 0.92 [95% CI 0.85–1.0]), Black racial self-identification (aRR 0.89 [95% CI 0.80–0.99]) and low frequencies of masking in public places (aRR 0.83 [95% CI 0.72–0.95]). COVID-19 vaccine coverage is very high among people experiencing homelessness in Toronto, suggesting advocacy and outreach efforts may have been effective.

Subject

  • Health

Keywords

  • COVID-19 vaccines,
  • homelessness,
  • public health,
  • Toronto,
  • Canada

Rights

Pagination

1-13

Peer review

Yes

Open access level

Gold

Identifiers

PubMed ID
36016133
ISSN
2076-393X

Article

Journal title
Vaccines
Journal volume
10
Journal issue
8
Article number
1245

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Collection(s)

Social determinants of health

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