RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Differences in COVID-19 vaccination coverage by occupation in England: a national linked data study
JF Occupational and Environmental Medicine
JO Occup Environ Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP oemed-2021-108140
DO 10.1136/oemed-2021-108140
A1 Vahe Nafilyan
A1 Ted Dolby
A1 Katie Finning
A1 Piotr Pawelek
A1 Rhiannon Edge
A1 Jasper Morgan
A1 Myer Glickman
A1 Neil Pearce
A1 Martie van Tongeren
YR 2022
UL http://oem.bmj.com/content/early/2022/09/06/oemed-2021-108140.abstract
AB Background Monitoring differences in COVID-19 vaccination uptake in different groups is crucial to help inform the policy response to the pandemic. A key data gap is the absence of data on uptake by occupation. This study investigates differences in vaccination rates by occupation in England, using nationwide population-level data.Methods We calculated the proportion of people who had received three COVID-19 vaccinations (assessed on 28 February 2022) by detailed occupational categories in adults aged 18–64 and estimated adjusted ORs to examine whether these differences were driven by occupation or other factors, such as education. We also examined whether vaccination rates differed by ability to work from home.Results Our study population included 15 456 651 adults aged 18–64 years. Vaccination rates differed markedly by occupation, being higher in health professionals (84.7%) and teaching and other educational professionals (83.6%) and lowest in people working in elementary trades and related occupations (57.6%). We found substantial differences in vaccination rates looking at finer occupational groups. Adjusting for other factors likely to be linked to occupation and vaccination, such as education, did not substantially alter the results. Vaccination rates were associated with ability to work from home, the rate being higher in occupations which can be done from home. Many occupations with low vaccination rates also involved contact with the public or with vulnerable peopleConclusions Increasing vaccination coverage in occupations with low vaccination rates is crucial to help protecting the public and control infection. Efforts should be made to increase vaccination rates in occupations that cannot be done from home and involve contact with the public.Data may be obtained from a third party and are not publicly available. Whilst data are currently not publicly available, they will be made available via the ONS Secure Research Service once the 2021 Census microdata are cleared for release.