Abstract
IntroductionHomeless youth are a vulnerable population. A volunteer clinic supported by medical students in northeastern Pennsylvania provides shelter and healthcare to adolescents seeking refuge. We set out to determine the immunization status of youth in the shelter and evaluate for associations of immunization deficiency with demographics or biopsychosocial factors.MethodsAfter IRB approval, a retrospective cohort study was performed from existing clinical records at the shelter 2/2015-9/2019. Chart abstraction included variables such as demographics (including age, sex, and race/ethnicity), biopsychosocial factors (including childhood trauma/abuse history, substance abuse history, and sexual activity), and immunization history.ResultsA total of 440 charts were analyzed. When comparing demographics of patients that had complete vaccine regimens versus those who did not, the race was statistically significant (p=.006). The most prominent difference in race was seen for Black/African American patients; only 19.57% had a completed vaccine regimen documented. Regarding immunization history, vaccine schedules of hepatitis B, measles mumps rubella (MMR), inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), and varicella were most likely to be complete; pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) 13, rotavirus, influenza, and human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) were least likely. There was no association found between a completed vaccine regimen and biopsychosocial variables. A larger portion of females (37.35%) completed the HPV vaccine compared to males (23.14%) (p=.009).ConclusionsIn this single-site study, this vulnerable, at-risk population of sheltered adolescents lacked the vaccinations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Racial disparities further compounded this vulnerability for Black/African American teens. Additionally, a significantly greater number of female patients received the HPV vaccine compared to males.
Highlights
A larger portion of females (37.35%) completed the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) vaccine compared to males (23.14%) (p=.009)
In this single-site study, this vulnerable, at-risk population of sheltered adolescents lacked the vaccinations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
A significantly greater number of female patients received the HPV vaccine compared to males
Summary
After IRB approval, a retrospective cohort study was performed from existing clinical records at the shelter 2/2015-9/2019. Chart abstraction included variables such as demographics (including age, sex, and race/ethnicity), biopsychosocial factors (including childhood trauma/abuse history, substance abuse history, and sexual activity), and immunization history. A cross-sectional study was performed from existing clinical records of state mandated physicals and acute care visits performed on patients at a youth shelter in Bethlehem, PA between February 19, 2015, and September 05, 2019. The adolescents at this shelter typically spend two weeks in transitional housing until they can be placed in a more stable environment. Chart abstraction included variables such as demographics, biopsychosocial factors (including childhood trauma/abuse history, substance abuse history, and sexual activity), and immunization history.
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