Publication date: Jan 16, 2025

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

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