Photo Credit: NikiLitov

Vaccination for influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and RSV is less likely with increasing social vulnerability index (SVI) and Black race, according to a study presented at IDWeek. Zainab Albar, MBBS, PhD, and colleagues analyzed data from patients with acute respiratory infections and examined the connection of SVI and race with vaccination rates. The cohort included 341,029 people (81% White). Vaccination rates decreased as the SVI quartile increased, especially among Black people. Higher SVI quartiles experienced increases in emergency visits for acute respiratory infections and decreases in primary care visits. As the SVI quartile increased, the likelihood of vaccination decreased, especially among Black people and they had lower odds of receiving a flu vaccine in all SVI quartiles. Black people had lower odds of receiving SARS-CoV-2 and RSV vaccines than White people in all quartiles. “Disparities this vast … require multifaceted interventions that meet people where they are socially and increase access to essential preventive measures,” a coauthor said.