Childhood opportunity index and vaccine uptake in pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations

Introduction: Risk factors for COVID-19 hospitalization in children include incomplete vaccination and having high-risk chronic conditions. There is concern for a lack of vaccine equity. Our study evaluates the association between socioeconomic child opportunity index (COI), chronic conditions, and vaccine uptake.

Methods: We included all patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago until June 2022 who received remdesivir treatment. Demographic data, insurance status, socioeconomic COI, vaccination status, and chronic conditions were recorded. Chi-squared tests were performed.

Results: Vaccines were unavailable for most patients (112/198, 56.6 %) at the time of hospitalization. In the remaining 86 patients, those with low COI were more often unvaccinated than higher COI counterparts (60.4 % vs. 68.4 %; p = 0.040). There was no difference between groups based on chronic conditions (p = 0.487).

Conclusions: Targeted outreach is needed to increase vaccination in children with chronic conditions living in neighborhoods with lower socioeconomic COI.