Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health published a study by Cavillot and colleagues with a cross-sectional analysis of the uptake of a first COVID-19 vaccine dose among 5 342 110 adults (≥18 years) in Belgium on 31 August 2021.The aim of our study was to investigate the sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics associated with the uptake of COVID-19 vaccine in Belgium.
Four national data sources were used for this purpose: the Belgian vaccine register (vaccination status), COVID-19 Healthdata (laboratory test results), DEMOBEL (sociodemographic/socioeconomic data) and the Common Base Register for HealthCare Actors (individuals licensed to practice a healthcare profession in Belgium).
The study finds a significant lower COVID-19 vaccination coverage among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, despite the success of the vaccination campaign in Belgium (89% of adults vaccinated with primary course), free vaccination and the efforts made by the regional health authorities to reach all citizens. More specifically, a lower COVID-19 vaccine uptake was found among young individuals, men, migrants, single parents, one-person households and disadvantaged socioeconomic groups (with lower levels of income and education, unemployed). Overall, the sociodemographic and socioeconomic disparities were comparable for all regions.
The full article is available via: https://jech.bmj.com/content/78/3/176
