- Individuals with mental illness represent a vulnerable group for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity and mortality, highlighting the need for continued evaluation of preventive measures in this population. Previous studies exploring the COVID-19 vaccination uptake among individuals with mental illness, including comparisons with general population and analyses of high-risk subgroups showed inconsistent results. Large-scale studies from an entire catchment area in Germany are lacking. This retrospective study based on routine clinical data examined COVID-19 vaccination uptake among psychiatric inpatients and daycare patients admitted between 01.01.2022 and 31.03.2023 to psychiatric hospitals in southwest Bavaria in Germany. Documented vaccination uptake in the study group (n = 3734; 6756 cases), corresponding to 44% of total admissions in the study period, was compared with the general population. Statistical analysis focused on differences in vaccination status acrossIndividuals with mental illness represent a vulnerable group for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity and mortality, highlighting the need for continued evaluation of preventive measures in this population. Previous studies exploring the COVID-19 vaccination uptake among individuals with mental illness, including comparisons with general population and analyses of high-risk subgroups showed inconsistent results. Large-scale studies from an entire catchment area in Germany are lacking. This retrospective study based on routine clinical data examined COVID-19 vaccination uptake among psychiatric inpatients and daycare patients admitted between 01.01.2022 and 31.03.2023 to psychiatric hospitals in southwest Bavaria in Germany. Documented vaccination uptake in the study group (n = 3734; 6756 cases), corresponding to 44% of total admissions in the study period, was compared with the general population. Statistical analysis focused on differences in vaccination status across demographic and diagnostic groups. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with vaccination status. Overall, the rate of unvaccinated individuals in the study group (13.6%) appeared lower than that of the corresponding federal state, Bavaria and broadly comparable to the national rate in Germany. Higher vaccination rates were associated with increased age and female gender, whereas lower rates were observed in alcohol or substance abuse disorders. The results may suggest a positive impact of targeted in-hospital vaccination initiatives, although further research is needed to elucidate this association. For future public health crises, targeted outreach strategies may improve preventive care among the identified vulnerable subgroups.…
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