Vaccination in people with disability: a review

Abstract

People with disabilities are vulnerable to complications from vaccine-preventable diseases, and every effort should be made to ensure equitable access to immunization for this population. This paper aims to summarize the research on immunizations in people with disabilities, in order to ensure a comprehensive understanding of knowledge in this area and direct further research. The literature is weighted towards coverage data that is difficult to synthesize because of the different definitions of disability, and the variety of settings, vaccinations and age groups across the studies. In-depth qualitative data and data from a variety of health-care providers and people with disability is notably lacking. This is vital to redress in order to develop effective immunization interventions in this population.

Measuring school level attributable risk to support school-based HPV vaccination programs

“…Special education schools were 5.6 times more likely to have low initiation coverage, with a median vaccination initiation coverage of only 53%; however, these schools only accounted for 8% of all schools in the three states, and thus had a school-level attributable risk of 27%. A recent review of vaccination in people with disability found 14 of 18 included studies reported that people with disabilities have lower rates of vaccination uptake across a range of different vaccines [ 52 ]. There have been only two Australian studies that have examined immunisation uptake in adolescents: one study on HPV vaccination [ 53 ], and one study on dTpa and HPV vaccination [ 54 ].…”

Potentially preventable hospitalisations of people with intellectual disability in New South Wales

“…27,28 A recent review that more broadly examined vaccination status in people with disability found that knowledge in this area was inadequate. 29 Our findings highlight the need to better understand vaccination uptake by people with intellectual * All age-adjusted rates of potentially preventable hospitalisations by category and year are available in the online Supporting Information, table 3. † Data for diabetes complications and nutritional deficiencies not included because of small case numbers.…”

“…A recent study found that vaccination coverage among UK children with intellectual disability were lower than among other children, 26 and vaccination coverage for hepatitis B and influenza among children and adolescents with intellectual disability in Taiwan was also lower than for those without intellectual disability 27,28 . A recent review that more broadly examined vaccination status in people with disability found that knowledge in this area was inadequate 29 . Our findings highlight the need to better understand vaccination uptake by people with intellectual disability, the reasons for their incomplete vaccination coverage throughout life, and why vaccine‐preventable conditions are leading to their hospitalisation.…”

Covid‐19 vaccination among people with disability—Statement from the iADH scientific committee

“…This lack of evidence may result in additional barriers to predictable and successful vaccination among vulnerable groups, 5 who already tend to be less likely to avail of immunization services in general, for reasons that are not fully understood. 6,7 The pursuit of health equity for vaccine guidance requires a roadmap to navigate health inequities with interventions that uphold the ethical principle of justice with the socially just distribution of limited resources. It should be applied within and between countries and regions so that supplies of COVID-19 vaccines are effectively distributed globally based on a gradient of risk rather than a gradient of wealth.…”