Community Engagement to support COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake: A living systematic review protocol

Abstract

Background Widespread vaccination against Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is one of the most effective ways to control, and ideally, end the global COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine hesitancy and vaccine rates vary widely across countries and populations and are influenced by complex socio-cultural, political, economic, and psychological factors. Community engagement is an integral strategy within immunisation campaigns and has been shown to improve vaccine acceptance. As evidence on community engagement to support COVID-19 vaccine uptake is emerging, this review aims to lessen the knowledge-to-practice gap by providing regular evidence on current best-practice. Methodology A living systematic review will be conducted which includes an initial systematic review and bi-monthly review updates. Searching and screening for the review and subsequent updates will be done in four streams: a systematic search of six databases, grey literature review, preprint review, and citizen sourcing. All returned articles will be collated into Covidence, where screening will be done by a minimum of two reviewers at title/abstract and full-text. Data will be extracted across pre-defined data extraction tables, and synthesis will occur using the convergent integrated approach. Updates to the review resulting from the subsequent bi-monthly searches will be shared in an open-access platform. The protocol has been registered with PROSPERO: CRD42022301996. Discussion Given the variation in vaccination rates across different contexts and the recognition that high vaccination coverage is required to reduce COVID-19 transmission and to stop the emergence of new variants, it is imperative the global community implements strategies that will improve uptake and that this work is widely shared and contextualised. Community engagement to promote vaccine uptake is highly encouraged, and recent studies highlight its potential to influence vaccine rates, particularly across populations that are marginalised. The high-priority research needed on this topic, and the rapidly changing evidence base, supports the conduct of a living systematic review.