Objective: Dose shortages delayed access to COVID-19 vaccination. We aim to characterise inequality in two-dose vaccination by sociodemographic group across Brazil.
Design: This is a cross-sectional study.
Setting: We used data retrieved from the Brazilian Ministry of Health databases published between 17 January 2021 and 6 September 2021.
Methods: We assessed geographical inequalities in full vaccination coverage and dose by age, sex, race and socioeconomic status. We developed a Campaign Optimality Index to characterise inequality in vaccination access due to premature vaccination towards younger populations before older and vulnerable populations were fully vaccinated. Generalised linear regression was used to investigate the risk of death and hospitalisation by age group, socioeconomic status and vaccination coverage.
Results: Vaccination coverage is higher in the wealthier South and Southeast. Men, people of colour and low-income groups were more likely to be only partially vaccinated due to missing or delaying a second dose. Vaccination started prematurely for age groups under 50 years which may have hindered uptake in older age groups. Vaccination coverage was associated with a lower risk of death, especially in older age groups (ORs 9.7 to 29.0, 95% CI 9. 4 to 29.9). Risk of hospitalisation was greater in areas with higher vaccination rates due to higher access to care and reporting.
Conclusions: Vaccination inequality persists between states, age and demographic groups despite increasing uptake. The association between hospitalisation rates and vaccination is attributed to preferential delivery to areas of greater transmission and access to healthcare.
Keywords: COVID-19; Health Equity; PUBLIC HEALTH; Vaccination.
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.