How education and racial segregation intersect in neighborhoods with persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates in Philadelphia

Abstract Background COVID-19 infection has disproportionately affected socially disadvantaged neighborhoods. Despite this disproportionate burden of infection, these neighborhoods have also lagged in COVID-19 vaccinations. To date, we have little understanding of the ways that various types of socia...

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Main Authors: John A. Rich, Edward J. Miech, Usama Bilal, Theodore J. Corbin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2022-05-01
Series:BMC Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13414-3
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author John A. Rich
Edward J. Miech
Usama Bilal
Theodore J. Corbin
author_facet John A. Rich
Edward J. Miech
Usama Bilal
Theodore J. Corbin
author_sort John A. Rich
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background COVID-19 infection has disproportionately affected socially disadvantaged neighborhoods. Despite this disproportionate burden of infection, these neighborhoods have also lagged in COVID-19 vaccinations. To date, we have little understanding of the ways that various types of social conditions intersect to explain the complex causes of lower COVID-19 vaccination rates in neighborhoods. Methods We used configurational comparative methods (CCMs) to study COVID-19 vaccination rates in Philadelphia by neighborhood (proxied by zip code tabulation areas). Specifically, we identified neighborhoods where COVID-19 vaccination rates (per 10,000) were persistently low from March 2021 – May 2021. We then assessed how different combinations of social conditions (pathways) uniquely distinguished neighborhoods with persistently low vaccination rates from the other neighborhoods in the city. Social conditions included measures of economic inequities, racial segregation, education, overcrowding, service employment, public transit use, health insurance and limited English proficiency. Results Two factors consistently distinguished neighborhoods with persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates from the others: college education and concentrated racial privilege. Two factor values together – low college education AND low/medium concentrated racial privilege – identified persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates in neighborhoods, with high consistency (0.92) and high coverage (0.86). Different values for education and concentrated racial privilege – medium/high college education OR high concentrated racial privilege – were each sufficient by themselves to explain neighborhoods where COVID-19 vaccination rates were not persistently low, likewise with high consistency (0.93) and high coverage (0.97). Conclusions Pairing CCMs with geospatial mapping can help identify complex relationships between social conditions linked to low COVID-19 vaccination rates. Understanding how neighborhood conditions combine to create inequities in communities could inform the design of interventions tailored to address COVID-19 vaccination disparities.
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spelling doaj.art-a6f33ad16206491e8d7ec3a8bc8a41a62022-12-22T02:21:49ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582022-05-0122111010.1186/s12889-022-13414-3How education and racial segregation intersect in neighborhoods with persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates in PhiladelphiaJohn A. Rich0Edward J. Miech1Usama Bilal2Theodore J. Corbin3Department of Health Management and Policy, Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel UniversityRegenstrief Institute, Center for Health Services ResearchDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel UniversityDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Rush University Medical CenterAbstract Background COVID-19 infection has disproportionately affected socially disadvantaged neighborhoods. Despite this disproportionate burden of infection, these neighborhoods have also lagged in COVID-19 vaccinations. To date, we have little understanding of the ways that various types of social conditions intersect to explain the complex causes of lower COVID-19 vaccination rates in neighborhoods. Methods We used configurational comparative methods (CCMs) to study COVID-19 vaccination rates in Philadelphia by neighborhood (proxied by zip code tabulation areas). Specifically, we identified neighborhoods where COVID-19 vaccination rates (per 10,000) were persistently low from March 2021 – May 2021. We then assessed how different combinations of social conditions (pathways) uniquely distinguished neighborhoods with persistently low vaccination rates from the other neighborhoods in the city. Social conditions included measures of economic inequities, racial segregation, education, overcrowding, service employment, public transit use, health insurance and limited English proficiency. Results Two factors consistently distinguished neighborhoods with persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates from the others: college education and concentrated racial privilege. Two factor values together – low college education AND low/medium concentrated racial privilege – identified persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates in neighborhoods, with high consistency (0.92) and high coverage (0.86). Different values for education and concentrated racial privilege – medium/high college education OR high concentrated racial privilege – were each sufficient by themselves to explain neighborhoods where COVID-19 vaccination rates were not persistently low, likewise with high consistency (0.93) and high coverage (0.97). Conclusions Pairing CCMs with geospatial mapping can help identify complex relationships between social conditions linked to low COVID-19 vaccination rates. Understanding how neighborhood conditions combine to create inequities in communities could inform the design of interventions tailored to address COVID-19 vaccination disparities.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13414-3COVID-19 vaccinationResidential racial segregationEducationHealth inequityConfigurational comparative methodsCoincidence analysis
spellingShingle John A. Rich
Edward J. Miech
Usama Bilal
Theodore J. Corbin
How education and racial segregation intersect in neighborhoods with persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates in Philadelphia
BMC Public Health
COVID-19 vaccination
Residential racial segregation
Education
Health inequity
Configurational comparative methods
Coincidence analysis
title How education and racial segregation intersect in neighborhoods with persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates in Philadelphia
title_full How education and racial segregation intersect in neighborhoods with persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates in Philadelphia
title_fullStr How education and racial segregation intersect in neighborhoods with persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates in Philadelphia
title_full_unstemmed How education and racial segregation intersect in neighborhoods with persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates in Philadelphia
title_short How education and racial segregation intersect in neighborhoods with persistently low COVID-19 vaccination rates in Philadelphia
title_sort how education and racial segregation intersect in neighborhoods with persistently low covid 19 vaccination rates in philadelphia
topic COVID-19 vaccination
Residential racial segregation
Education
Health inequity
Configurational comparative methods
Coincidence analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13414-3
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