Publication date: Jul 17, 2024

Non-italian citizens experienced less access to anti-COVID-19 vaccination, compared to the native population. Literature has found differences in adherence to anti-COVID-19 vaccination among these groups; however, there are apparently no studies that investigated the role of citizenship. Our objective was to investigate the role of citizenship in vaccine hesitancy toward anti-COVID-19 vaccination and the completion of vaccine cycle, in the non-Italian citizens resident in the Umbria Region. This is a population study, performed on resident population in Umbria. Population data were obtained thanks to a record linkage between the Regional Health Information System and the regional DBCOVID Umbria database. On this dataset, a descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed. The 19. 2% of non-Italian citizens did not take even one dose, 2. 1% did not complete it and 40. 6% did not take the additional dose. The range of values of which these results are an average, however, is very wide, suggesting important differences in COVID-19 vaccine up taking, among different citizenships. The logistic regression shows that citizenships with the highest probability of non-adherence to vaccination, compared to Philippine, was Romanian (OR=7. 8), followed by Macedonian (OR=7. 3) and Polish (OR=5. 9). The study provides evidence of differences among citizenships that pinpoint the importance of understanding the reasons behind these behaviours, to support decisions around health policies tailored to each citizenship.

Semantics

Original Article