Vaccination Coverage and Uptake in Young People Experiencing or at Risk of Homelessness

Keywords

• homeless youth
• vaccination

Lead sponsor

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute is the lead sponsor of 96 studies on the registry; 34 are open to participants now.

Of its 5 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 3 (60%) have results posted.

Study population

Groups and cohorts

• Young people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness

  Young people aged 15-24 years who have accessed a homeless youth service, refuge, or flexible learning center in Melbourne, Australia.

  Other: Referral to the Young People's Health Service immunisation nurse

Interventions

• OtherReferral to the Young People's Health Service immunisation nurse

  Young people who have been referred to an immunisation nurse at the Young People's Health Service.

Primary outcomes

1. Proportion of participants referred to the Young People's Health Service immunisation nurse who were up-to-date for their age for vaccines on both the National Immunisation Program and the Victorian State Government Schedule.

   Young people who meet eligibility criteria will be considered up-to-date on referral if their immunisation history statement at the time of referral meets the criteria to be considered up to date as detailed in Appendix II in the Study Protocol. The percentage of the young people in the population who are up-to-date for their age with each vaccine will be described.

   Time frame: Participants who were referred to the Young People's Health Service between the study time period (Between 19th February 2019 - 19th May 2021)

2. Proportion of participants referred to the Young People's Health Service immunisation nurse who were are at increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases.

   Where available, data collected from the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) will include risk factors for vaccine-preventable diseases and relevant social determinants of health based on the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Australian Government Department of Health and the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance publications. Participants will be considered at increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases if the EMR includes documentation of at least one of: a history of identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, of arriving in Australia as a migrant, refugee or asylum seeker, of incarceration, of men who have sex with men, of alcohol or other drug misuse, of smoking cigarettes, of living with Hepatitis C or HIV, of out of home care, of being a young parent, of having non-professional tattoos, or of sex work.

   Time frame: All available medical records for the participant on the Royal Children's Hospital Electronic Medical Records regardless of time frame

Secondary outcomes

1. Proportion of participants referred to the Young People's Health Service immunisation nurse who commence a vaccine catch-up plan.

   Electronic medical records will be reviewed to record the percentage of participants who were not up-to-date with scheduled vaccines for their age on referral, and commenced a vaccine catch-up plan following referral to an immunisation nurse at the Young People's Health Service. Vaccines required to complete a vaccine catch-up plan will depend on the age of the participant and will be determined by an immunisation nurse. A participant will be considered to have commenced an immunisation catch-up plan if they receive at least one immunisation on the plan.

   Time frame: Between 19th February 2019 - 19th May 2021

2. Proportion of participants referred to the Young People's Health Service immunisation nurse who complete a vaccine catch-up plan.

   Electronic medical records will be reviewed to record the percentage of participants who were not up-to-date with scheduled vaccines for their age, and completed a vaccine catch-up plan following an encounter with an immunisation nurse at the Young People's Health Service. Vaccines required to complete a vaccine catch-up plan will depend on the age of the participant and will be determined by an immunisation nurse. A participant will be considered to have completed an immunisation catch-up plan if they receive all immunisations on the plan.

   Time frame: Between 19th February 2019 - 19th May 2021

3. Mean number of follow-up contact attempts (all types) sent to young people attending the Young People's Health Service per immunisation visit.

   The mean number of contact attempts sent by staff of the Young People's Health Service to young people who require immunisation catch-up visits. Contact attempts include SMS, email, phone call, in person reminder, and letter.

   Time frame: Between 19th February 2019 - 19th May 2021

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided