Facilitating catch-up vaccination in UK migrant/BAME communities
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Facilitating the delivery of catch-up vaccination in adolescent and adult migrants and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities through UK general practice: a pilot study
IRAS ID
286347
Contact name
Sally Hargreaves
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
St George's, University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Vaccination is one of the most effective public health interventions for preventing infectious diseases, however, vaccine uptake is markedly lower in certain groups of the population, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups and migrants (foreign-born). Ensuring that under-immunised groups receive vaccines is an objective of the European Vaccine Action Plan and innovative approaches are needed within the NHS to facilitate this. This is especially important now in light of COVID-19, and in informing the roll-out and uptake strategy of a prospective COVID-19 vaccine among key risk groups.
The purpose of this three-part study is to define under-vaccinated BAME and migrant groups in the UK, and specifically engage them in strategies to promote catch-up vaccination. It also seeks to understand the challenges that primary care may face in rolling out a future COVID-19 vaccine and inform the targeted vaccination of risk groups.
Study 1 will be an observational, prospective cohort pilot study in 10 GP practices. A catch-up vaccination tool will be administered by nurses and healthcare assistants during the new patient health check (and potentially opportunistically, e.g. during travel vaccine appointments) to migrant and BAME patients (>=16 years), to collect data on their migration history, ethnicity and vaccination history and prompt the nurse to administer any required vaccinations. Main outcomes are uptake of MMR/DTP vaccines, rates and predictors of under-immunisation.
Study 2 will involve qualitative telephone interviews conducted by SGUL research staff with participants of Study 1, to gather their feedback and experiences of participating in the study, and explore their views on vaccination and infectious diseases, accessing primary care and experiences of COVID-19.
Study 3 will involve focus-group discussions conducted by SGUL research staff with a range of practice staff administering Study 1, to gather feedback on study implementation and discuss other approaches/suggestions to increase vaccine uptake.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - South Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/YH/0342
Date of REC Opinion
18 Dec 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion