Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Vaccination Coverage across Thirteen States: A County-Level Analysis

Abstract

M.S.Despite significant strides in vaccine development and dissemination during the COVID-19 pandemic, limited and patchy vaccine uptake highlights a critical public health challenge for future pandemics. However, the inadequacy of detailed data has hampered our ability to understand the ethnic and racial disparities in COVID-19 vaccinations Previous research has primarily focused on national or state-level disparities, highlighting the need for county-level analyses. This study aims to bridge this gap by analyzing disparities at the county level, providing a more accurate assessment of COVID-19 vaccination inequities. Specifically, we investigate the geographic distribution of COVID-19 vaccination disparities for Black and Hispanic populations, whether there are disparities between urban and rural counties, and whether significant differences exist in racial/ethnic disparity in vaccination rates when analyzed at the county level compared to state and national rates. Data was collected from 13 state health departments between June 22, 2021, and July 22, 2021, and included COVID vaccination counts disaggregated by county and race/ethnicity group. The findings reveal significant spatial heterogeneity in both Black and Hispanic vaccination disparity. Urban areas exhibited higher levels of Black disparity. Rural areas exhibited higher levels of Hispanic disparity. It was also determined that state-level analyses significantly obscure true disparities, highlighting the importance of county-level data. The findings from this study underscore the importance of targeted interventions tailored to specific geographic contexts and emphasize the imperative forpolicymakers and public health officials to prioritize the collection and utilization of granular county-level data to effectively address racial and ethnic disparities in vaccination efforts, thereby fostering more equitable health outcomes for all communities