Vaccinating Veterans Experiencing Homelessness for Covid-19
Healthcare and Housing Service Providers’ Perspectives
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21426675 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Michelle D Balut (0000-0002-2548-2283, United States Department of Veterans Affairs, corresponding author), June L Gin (0000-0003-1398-5278, United States Department of Veterans Affairs), Nikola R Alenkin (United States Department of Veterans Affairs), Aram Dobalian (0000-0002-9941-4275, United States Department of Veterans Affairs) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 727-736 |
| Publication date | 2022-10-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Community Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0094-5145 • E-ISSN: 1573-3610 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10900-022-01097-1 |
| PMID | 35670986 |
| OpenAlex | W4281677235 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 35 |
This study examines challenges experienced during COVID-19 vaccination efforts, facilitating factors that increased vaccination, and lessons learned from healthcare providers and housing program staff who delivered healthcare and services to Veterans experiencing homelessness during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven transitional housing program staff in northern California, southern California, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and New Jersey (January-April 2021) and six primary care providers serving Veterans experiencing homelessness, four from clinics in California and two from a clinic in North Dakota (July-August 2021). Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a rapid analysis approach. COVID-19 vaccination rates were between 40 and 60% among Veterans who received care from the primary care providers and between 20 and 90% among Veterans who were enrolled in the transitional housing programs. Barriers that providers and housing staff encountered when getting Veterans vaccinated for COVID-19 included lack of eligibility, the vaccine appointment scheduling process, transportation and communication challenges, Veterans’ distrust in the government, vaccine mandates, and vaccine hesitancy among organization staff. Recommendations to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake included making vaccination more convenient, using trusted sources such as homeless program staff or Veteran peers to provide educational information about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, and encouraging rather than mandating vaccination. These lessons will enable entities providing care to people experiencing homelessness to develop more effective policies and educational campaigns to improve vaccine acceptance and uptake among this vulnerable population
2019-20 coronavirus outbreak · Business · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) · Economic growth · Health care · Healthcare service · Housing First · Mental health · Psychiatry · Service (business) · Service provider · Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) · Supportive housing · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Homelessness and Social Issues · Housing, Finance, and Neoliberalism · Medicine · Nursing · Virology · Gerontology
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Comparison of rapid vs in-depth qualitative analytic methods from a process evaluation of academic detailing in the Veterans Health Administration
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Covid-19
Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among U.S. Veterans Experiencing Homelessness in Transitional Housing
Homelessness during Covid-19
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Positive Impact of a Shelter-based Hepatitis B Vaccine Program in Homeless Baltimore Children and Adolescents
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Housing First, Consumer Choice, and Harm Reduction for Homeless Individuals With a Dual Diagnosis
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| Citations per year | 0.25 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2022 - 2022 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |