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Adults With Disability Less Likely to Have Received COVID-19 Vaccine

MONDAY, Oct. 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Adults with a disability are less likely to report having received one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, although they are more likely to report higher endorsement of the vaccine as protection, according to research published in the Oct. 1 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

A. Blythe Ryerson, Ph.D., from the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues analyzed data from the National Immunization Survey Adult COVID Module to describe COVID-19 vaccination status and intent and perceived vaccine access among adults by disability status.

The researchers found that compared with those without a disability, adults with a disability were less likely to report having received one or more doses of COVID-19 vaccine (age-adjusted prevalence ratio, 0.88); however, they were more likely to report that they would definitely get vaccinated (age-adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.86). Among unvaccinated adults, compared with those without a disability, those with a disability were more likely to report higher endorsement of vaccination as protection, but they were also more likely to report it would be or was difficult to get vaccinated (age-adjusted prevalence ratios, 1.29 and 2.69, respectively)

"Public health efforts that make COVID-19 vaccination information, scheduling, and sites more easily accessible for persons with disabilities might help to address health inequities and increase vaccination demand and coverage," the authors write.

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