Vaccines for all: A formative evaluation of a multistakeholder community-engaged COVID-19 vaccine outreach clinic for migrant communities
Abstract
Racialized, low-income, and migrant communities in East and Northeast Calgary were disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, yet faced vaccine access barriers. This article is a formative evaluation of a low-barrier, community-engaged vaccine outreach clinic in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on June 5–6, 2021. Stakeholder respondents felt the clinic was effective (99.2%), efficient (96.9%), patient-centered (92.3%), and safe (90.8%), and that the outreach model was scalable 94.6% (123/130). Suggested improvements include increased time for clinic planning and promotion, more multilingual staff, and further efforts to reduce accessibility barriers, such as priority check-in for people with disabilities. These findings support the value of community-engaged outreach to improve vaccine equity among other marginalized newcomer communities.
Notes
Community organizations: n/a
Future research / gaps identified:
Increase community engagement in future vaccination efforts, especially when addressing marginalized communities
Integration timeline: newcomers not defined
Key findings
- The community-engaged COVID-19 vaccine outreach clinic for migrant communities was effective, efficient, patient-centered, and safe
- The clinic achieved its goals and was scalable
Key populations: COVID-19 vaccination stakeholders in Calgary
Key recommendations
- Expand language supports and multilingual staff
- Engage with trusted religious and community leaders when replicating this clinic
- Use a multistakeholder approach to create interventions to provide vaccines for all, especially those who may face barriers to accessing healthcare
Location: Calgary
Open access: Yes
