(HealthDay News) — Among healthcare system employees, considerable disparities exist in COVID-19 vaccination rates by race/ethnicity and occupation, according to a research letter published online June 15 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
J. Daryl Thornton, M.D., M.P.H., from the MetroHealth System in Cleveland, and colleagues examined the correlation between social and demographic characteristics of healthcare workers and receipt of vaccination among 7,865 employees of the MetroHealth System, which includes a hospital, skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, and ambulatory clinics.
The researchers found that 40.3% of the study population had one or more severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 tests recorded, and 801 employees had a positive result. Overall, 57.9% of the employees had received the first dose of vaccine during the period of observation. Increased probability of being vaccinated was seen among employees older than 44 years, men, whites, and Asians in a multivariable analysis. During the period of vaccination, the differences in the rate of vaccination by race and ethnicity increased.
Employees at the main hospital were more likely to be vaccinated than others. The highest probability of being vaccinated was seen for physicians, dentists and psychologists, followed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants, whereas vaccination was least likely among clinical nurses, support staff and workers at skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities.
“Vaccination rates of health care system employees during the COVID-19 pandemic were less than ideal, particularly among certain groups at high risk for occupational exposure,” the authors write. “Further work is needed to improve vaccination rates of health care system employees.”
One author disclosed financial ties to Global Health Metrics and to the publishing industry.
