Mohammed Abba-Aji|David Stuckler|Sandro Galea|Martin McKee
Ethnic/racial minorities’ and migrants’ access to COVID-19 vaccines: A systematic review of barriers and facilitators
Nigerian Meteorological Agency|Bocconi University|Boston University|London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
widespread concerns ethnic minorities migrants may inadequate access covid19 vaccines improving vaccine uptake among vulnerable groups important towards controlling spread covid19 reducing unnecessary mortality perform systematic review ethnic minorities migrants access acceptance covid19 vaccineswe searched pubmed web science databases papers published 1 january 2020 7 october 2021 studies included peerreviewed articles written english included data estimates ethnic minorities migrants access vaccines employed either qualitative quantitative methods total 248 studies screened 33 met criteria included final sample risk bias included studies assessed using newcastle ottawa scale critical appraisal skills program tools conducted synthesis without metaanalysis quantitative studies framework synthesis qualitative studies31 included studies conducted highincome countries including us n 17 studies uk n 10 qatar n 2 israel n 1 france n 1 one study upper middleincome country china n 1 another covered multiple countries n 1 26 studies reported outcomes ethnic minorities 9 studies reported migrants studies quantitative cross sectional studies n 24 ecological n 4 remaining qualitative n 4 mixed methods n 1 consistent evidence elevated levels covid19 vaccine hesitancy among blackafrocaribbean groups us uk studies hispaniclatino populations us asian populations uk provided mixed pictures levels higher lower white counterparts asians us highest covid19 vaccine acceptance compared ethnic groups higher vaccine acceptance among migrant groups qatar china general population however migrants uk experienced barriers vaccine access mainly attributed language communication issues lack confidence mainly due mistrust government health systems coupled poor communication main barriers uptake among black ethnic minorities migrantsour study found low confidence covid19 vaccines among black ethnic minorities driven mistrust safety concerns led high vaccine hesitancy group vaccine hesitancy rates constitute major barrier covid19 vaccine uptake among ethnic minority migrants convenience factors language barriers fear deportation reduced physical access reduced access covid19 vaccines building trust reducing physical barriers improving communication transparency vaccine development healthcare workers religious community leaders improve access facilitate uptake covid19 vaccines among ethnic minority migrant communities