Balut Michelle D, Chu Karen, Gin June L, Dobalian Aram, Der-Martirosian Claudia
Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, North Hills, CA 91343, USA.
Division of Health Systems Management and Policy, University of Memphis School of Public Health, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
Vaccines (Basel). 2021 Nov 3;9(11):1268. doi: 10.3390/vaccines9111268.
Sufficient uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine is key to slowing the spread of the coronavirus among the most vulnerable in society, including individuals experiencing homelessness. However, COVID-19 vaccination rates among the Veteran homeless population are currently unknown. This study examines the COVID-19 vaccination rate among homeless Veterans who receive care at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the factors that are associated with vaccine uptake. Using VA administrative and clinical data, bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify the sociodemographic, health-related, and healthcare and housing services utilization factors that influenced COVID-19 vaccine uptake during the first eight months of the vaccine rollout (December 2020-August 2021). Of the 83,528 Veterans experiencing homelessness included in the study, 45.8% were vaccinated for COVID-19. Non-white, older Veterans (65+), females, those who received the seasonal flu vaccine, and Veterans with multiple comorbidities and mental health conditions were more likely to be vaccinated. There was a strong association between COVID-19 vaccination and Veterans who utilized VA healthcare and housing services. VA healthcare and homeless service providers are particularly well-positioned to provide trusted information and overcome access barriers for homeless Veterans to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
充分接种新冠疫苗是减缓冠状病毒在社会最弱势群体（包括无家可归者）中传播的关键。然而，目前尚不清楚退伍军人无家可归者群体中的新冠疫苗接种率。本研究调查了在美国退伍军人事务部（VA）接受治疗的无家可归退伍军人中的新冠疫苗接种率，以及与疫苗接种相关的因素。利用VA的行政和临床数据，进行了双变量和多变量分析，以确定在疫苗推出的前八个月（2020年12月至2021年8月）影响新冠疫苗接种的社会人口统计学、健康相关、医疗保健和住房服务利用因素。在该研究纳入的83528名无家可归退伍军人中，45.8%接种了新冠疫苗。非白人、年龄较大的退伍军人（65岁及以上）、女性、接种过季节性流感疫苗的人，以及患有多种合并症和心理健康问题的退伍军人接种疫苗的可能性更大。新冠疫苗接种与使用VA医疗保健和住房服务的退伍军人之间存在密切关联。VA医疗保健和无家可归服务提供者在为无家可归退伍军人提供可靠信息并克服其接种新冠疫苗的获取障碍方面具有特别优势。
