RESEARCH WEEKLY: Outreach to Veterans with Serious Mental Illness Increases COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake By Nina Robertson Join our Research Weekly authors on Instagram every Wednesday this month as we discuss each week’s blog, how advocates can understand and use the data, and why understanding #SMI is critical to implementing lasting policy change. On Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 12 p.m. join us for a special Instagram live event during which our Research Weekly authors will do a Research Roundup discussion. Make sure to follow our Instagram and tune in to ask questions and join the conversation! Treatment Advocacy Center partnered with Clubhouse International to produce a report, COVID-19 Vaccination for People with Severe Mental Illness: An International Study, to examine COVID-19 vaccination uptake. Clubhouses are community centers for those living with severe mental illness. Results found that estimated vaccination rates of Clubhouse members were on average significantly higher than those of the U.S. population. Community investment in people with serious mental illness was likely the main reason behind the successful vaccination rates amongst this vulnerable population. Persons with serious mental illness are at an increased risk for COVID-19 infection and mortality, making them an important population to target for vaccination services. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) outreach activities have contributed to equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. According to a recent study published in Psychiatric Services, vaccination uptake was comparable between veterans with serious mental illness and those without serious mental illness, likely in large part because of the outreach efforts of the VHA. Through facilitating registration and transportation to receive the vaccine and sharing information about the vaccine’s safety, both the VHA and Clubhouses implemented substantial measures that increase outreach and support programs for people with serious mental illness. Study details and results Researchers from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs conducted an analysis of 4,890,693 veterans, a portion of whom had serious mental illness. The study aimed to capture the rate at which veterans with serious mental illness received a COVID-19 vaccine. Results indicated that 48% of veterans with serious mental illness received a COVID-19 vaccination, compared to 46% of those without serious mental illness. These results support previous research that report higher access to COVID-19 health services are available in hybrid health care systems such as the VHA. Researchers stated that VHA outreach activities helped address COVID-19 vaccine access barriers commonly met by individuals with serious mental illness. Patients with serious mental illness often cite difficulty using technology, so the VHA provided technological and nontechnological options for scheduling appointments. Outreach activities included calling eligible patients to schedule appointments and sharing educational information about the vaccine through differing media outlets to address vaccine hesitancy. Like the VHA, Clubhouses’ efforts to reduce barriers to vaccine uptake place patients with serious mental illness at the forefront of vaccine efforts, connecting physical health care services to mental health care services. Treatment Advocacy Center’s report indicated that Clubhouse members are on average more likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine compared with the general population in their county. Through addressing misconceptions about the vaccine, simplifying the appointment process and sending appointment reminders, establishing accessible vaccination clinics, providing transportation, and following up post-vaccine, members of Clubhouses with serious mental illness achieved higher vaccination rates. Implications Community investment and targeted support outcomes for individuals with serious mental illness shows the success of providing proper resources to help people with serious mental illness live healthier lives. Continued monitoring of vaccine uptake amongst patients with serious mental illness, alongside identification strategies to maximize COVID-19 vaccine uptake, have the potential to mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19. Despite logistical and psychosocial barriers to COVID-19 vaccine uptake amongst individuals with serious mental illness, the VHA and Clubhouses have exhibited equitable distribution rates of the vaccine to patients with and without serious mental illness. This highlights the potential adaptability of expanded public health measures to individuals with serious mental illness at a community level. Increased funding for mental health services with amplified investment in people with serious mental illness will help decrease the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health care systems need to continue health promotion efforts that account for individuals with serious mental illness to minimize mortality from COVID-19 while increasing positive health outcomes. References Haderlein, T., Steers, W., Dobalian, A., et al. (January 2022). Serious Mental Illness Diagnosis and COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in the Veterans Health Administration. Psychiatric Services. Nina Robertson is a research intern at the Treatment Advocacy Center. View as Webpage To receive Research Weekly directly in your email inbox on a weekly basis, click here. Questions? Contact us at [email protected] Research Weekly is a summary published as a public service of the Treatment Advocacy Center and does not necessarily reflect the findings or positions of the organization or its staff. Full access to research summarized may require a fee or paid subscription to the publications. The Treatment Advocacy Center does not solicit or accept funds from pharmaceutical companies. Treatment Advocacy Center | 200 N Glebe Rd, Ste 801, Arlington, VA 22203 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!