Socio-demographic factors and COVID-19 vaccination uptake in Umbria region: a population-based study

INTRODUCTION: The study of factors associated with vaccination uptake at population level is of great relevance to inform decision making. It is well known that several factors, might be linked to vaccine hesitancy and therefore final vaccine uptake. Nevertheless, contextual factors might be known querying available databases. This study is aimed to investigate the role of these factors, in particular socio-demographic ones, in COVID-19 vaccination initiation and completion. METHODS: A population-based study was conducted on the overall Umbrian resident population registered to the Regional Healthcare Service as of February 28th 2021 (N = 866,678), excluding children under 5 years of age and those who obtained a certificate of COVID-19 vaccination exemption or were not alive at the date of endpoints assessment. The uptake of at least one dose and the completion of primary vaccination cycle was analyses as of February 28th 2022. The following socio-demographic characteristics were investigated as potential associated factors: sex, age, citizenship (Italian vs not-Italian), exemption for chronic condition/disability, holding a general practitioner (GP) or a family pediatrician (FP) and Deprivation Area Index based on education, unemployment, non-home ownership, one parent family and overcrowding. RESULTS: Considering eligible populations, people who did not initiate and complete vaccination were 11.8% and 1.2% respectively. The same factors were found to be associated to both endpoints: being female, younger, and not-Italian citizen, not holding an exemption for chronic disease/disability and a GP/FP and leaving in a most deprived area. The associations were stronger in respect to vaccination initiation. DISCUSSION: The results of this study, which is representative of the whole population of an Italian region and not based on survey data, confirm the available evidence and add knowledge on COVID-19 vaccination uptake that might serve to inform future vaccination campaigns KEY MESSAGES: • This population-based study shows that there are socio-demographic differences in COVID-19 vaccination uptake in term of both initiation and completion of full primary vaccination cycle. • Socio-demographic differences in vaccination uptake can be addressed in future vaccination campaigns using the information available from population-based databases.