Spatial clusters and social inequities in COVID-19 vaccine coverage among children in Brazil

Aglomerados espaciais e desigualdades sociais na cobertura vacinal contra COVID-19 em crianças no Brasil

Abstract

This study examined the spatial distribution and social inequalities in COVID-19 vaccine coverage among children aged 5-11 in Brazil. First and second dose vaccine coverage was calculated for all Brazilian municipalities and analyzed by geographic region and deciles based on human development index (HDI-M) and expected years of schooling at 18 years of age. Multilevel models were used to determine the variance partition coefficient, and bivariate local Moran’s I statistic was used to assess spatial association. Results showed significant differences in vaccine coverage rates among Brazilian municipalities, with lower coverage in the North and Midwest regions. Municipalities with lower HDI and expected years of schooling had consistently lower vaccine coverage rates. Bivariate clustering analysis identified extensive concentrations of municipalities in the Northern and Northeastern regions with low vaccine coverage and low human development, while some clusters of municipalities in the Southeast and South regions with low coverage were located in areas with high HDI-M. These findings highlight the persistent municipal-level inequalities in vaccine coverage among children in Brazil and the need for targeted interventions to improve vaccine access and coverage in underserved areas.

Key words:
COVID-19; Vaccination coverage; Immunization; Spatial analysis; Children