New Global Analysis Across Five Cities Shows Inequities in Adult Immunization Uptake, Signaling Need to Redesign Local and National Policy Interventions

  • New IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science report, funded by GSK, explores the role of social and structural determinants of health to identify enablers and barriers to vaccine uptake in Bangkok, Brussels, Chicago, Manchester and New York City
  • As one example, in both New York City and Chicago, household income, education and median house value are highly correlated with immunization rates across all vaccines studied
  • Findings to be presented today at the Global Coalition on Aging’s Silver Economy Forum 2023

GSK, in collaboration with the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA), announced a new report from the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science (IQVIA Institute). The report, funded by GSK, explores the role of social and structural determinants of health in adult vaccine access and uptake across five global cities with strong data about their aging populations: Bangkok, Thailand; Brussels, Belgium; Chicago, US; Manchester, United Kingdom; and New York City, US.

The data released today demonstrate that vaccine use varies substantially even within a single city and suggest that policies, such as improved access to pharmacies or other points of vaccination, should be implemented to drive equitable access to adult immunization.

Key findings include:

  • In both Brussels and Manchester, easier access to pharmacies and other points of vaccination was associated with higher vaccine uptake, with additional factors in Brussels including access to transport and reimbursements for vaccines.
  • In Bangkok, adult vaccine use within a district is correlated with the number of vaccination points, such as hospitals and clinics, as well as with indicators of economic growth in the district.
  • In both New York City and Chicago, household income, education and median house value are highly correlated with vaccination rates across all vaccines studied. Race and ethnicity also play an important role in uptake in both cities, with white populations more likely to be vaccinated.

A previous GSK-funded IQVIA Institute analysis of global vaccine trends found that, despite successes in COVID19 vaccination programs, approximately 100 million fewer doses of some adult vaccines were administered in 2021 and 2022 than anticipated – demonstrating that low uptake of adult vaccines remains a broad global health issue.1 While these global trends are often cited at a macro level, understanding community-level data on access and barriers to vaccination is necessary to drive policy analysis and locally relevant solutions to improve funding, access and education on adult vaccines.

Piyali Mukherjee, Vice President and Head of Global Medical Affairs, Vaccines, GSK said: “Globally, adults over the age of 60 now outnumber children under the age of 5.2 It’s essential we prioritize prevention to help safeguard the health, longevity and productivity of our communities and help reduce the strain on our healthcare systems and workers. Adult immunization plays a key role in helping to mitigate the illness, death and health system costs that can result from vaccine-preventable diseases. We are proud to collaborate with GCOA and the IQVIA Institute to uncover local data and spotlight tailored policy considerations that can help address inequity and ensure adult immunization becomes the global standard of care.”

These data are being presented during the annual Silver Economy Forum, being held in New York City from Dec.6-7, 2023. Hosted by GCOA and sponsored in part by GSK, the meeting brings together government, policymakers, patient groups, academic and industry leaders to discuss data insights and policy options to support a thriving aging population and global economy.

Michael Hodin, CEO, GCOA said: “Prevention drives opportunity for individuals, communities and economies –and adult immunization has a big role to play, yet uptake is often poor. The report released today explores what influences access and barriers to adult immunization on the ground in five global cities. Discussion of these city-level data at the Silver Economy Forum represents an important opportunity for cross-sector leaders to align on targeted solutions that meet the nuanced needs of different communities. Together, supported by data, we can contribute to existing global initiatives like the UN Decade of Healthy Aging and WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities.”

GSK is committed to prioritizing prevention to help our communities get ahead of disease together. This includes the development of innovative vaccines, as well as continued collaborations with advocacy partners and policymakers to expand data collection efforts, apply data science to available information, leverage actionable insights to inform immunization guidance and track the effectiveness of measures taken. In keeping with this commitment, earlier this year GSK launched the COiMMUNITY Initiative, a multi-pronged platform to help reduce health inequities and set a new precedent for adult immunization rates in the US through funding, increased data transparency and resource sharing.

For more detail on the global city case studies and full methodology, see: https://www.iqvia.com/insights/the-iqviainstitute/reports-and-publications/reports/trends-in-global-adult-vaccination-a-view-from-five-global-cities.

About The Global Coalition on Aging
The Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA) aims to reshape how global leaders approach and prepare for the 21st century’s profound shift in population aging. GCOA uniquely brings together global corporations across industry sectors with common strategic interests in aging populations, a comprehensive and systemic understanding of aging, and an optimistic view of its impact. Through research, public policy analysis, advocacy and strategic communications, GCOA is advancing innovative solutions and working to ensure global aging is a path for fiscally sustainable economic growth, social value creation and wealth enhancement. For more information, visit: www.globalcoalitiononaging.com.

About The IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science
The IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science contributes to the advancement of human health globally through timely research, insightful analysis and scientific expertise applied to granular non-identified patient-level data.

About GSK
GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. Find out more at gsk.com.

Latest Developments

We keep our members and partners in touch with the most recent updates and opinions in the worldwide dialogue on population longevity and related issues.

Joe Biden’s ‘Cancer Moonshot’ May be Derailed by New Policies, Including His Own

For almost a decade, President Biden has championed a bold “cancer moonshot” — an initiative he first launched in 2016, revived early in his administration, and reiterated during this year’s State of the Union. It is a laudable goal, especially for an aging nation where cancer and chronic disease are on the rise. There’s just one problem: Recent federal and state policies are poised to derail the incredible progress made in oncology since 2016. A rash of policies now threatens to limit access and slow progress towards new breakthroughs.

Global Coalition on Aging, Leading G7 Government Officials, Call for Incentivized Antibiotic Innovation

The Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA), in partnership with the Japanese Pharmaceutical Manufacturer’s Association (JPMA), and public health leaders call on G7 governments to fund pull incentives and make “fair share” investments in antibiotic innovation to fight the global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis. GCOA, JPMA, and health and government officials from the European Union, Italy, Japan, and United Kingdom recently convened to discuss how G7 countries must respond. GCOA today published a report detailing takeaways from the closed-door meeting, “The Role of G7 Governments in Global Efforts to Encourage Antimicrobial Development Through a Pull Incentive: Challenges and Collaboration.”

Kishida and Biden Face a Similar Demographic Crisis

Your front page story “Japan wrestles with age-old problem as population declines at record rate” (Report, April 13) and the letter in the same edition from Tim Hill, “A gently declining population is no reason to panic”, both describe what all societies face as they modernise in the 21st century.

2024 AMR Preparedness Index Progress Report Highlights Urgent Need For Global Action Against Antimicrobial Resistance

Today, the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) launched the 2024 AMR Preparedness Index Progress Report. Released in the lead up to the United Nations General Assembly 2024 High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) this September, the 2024 Progress Report assesses how the eleven largest global economies have advanced on calls to action laid out in the 2021 AMR Preparedness Index.

New Global Analysis Across Five Cities Shows Inequities in Adult Immunization Uptake, Signaling Need to Redesign Local and National Policy Interventions

GSK, in collaboration with the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA), announced a new report from the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science (IQVIA Institute). The report, funded by GSK, explores the role of social and structural determinants of health in adult vaccine access and uptake across five global cities with strong data about their aging populations: Bangkok, Thailand; Brussels, Belgium; Chicago, US; Manchester, United Kingdom; and New York City, US.

New Report From the Global Coalition on Aging Highlights the Connection Between Adult Immunization and Economic Health in Aging APEC Region

As leaders from across the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region convene in San Francisco over the next week, a new report from the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA) points to investments in healthy aging as a growing economic imperative amid the region’s changing demographics. According to the new report, programs that keep populations healthy, active, and productive – like adult immunization – are increasingly becoming a prerequisite for economic stability and growth.