Vaccination coverage according to race or skin color in children born in 2017-2018 in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil: a population survey.

Objective: To analyze vaccination coverage up to 24 months of age according to race/ skin color in the 2017-2018 live birth cohort in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.

Methods: Population-based survey conducted in 2020 and 2021. Vaccination coverage up to 24 months of age was estimated according to administered, valid and timely doses. Crude association of race/skin color was estimated by calculating the crude Prevalence Ratio and respective 95% Confidence Intervals, using Poisson regression.

Results: Of the 688 children in the selected cohort, there was greater coverage among Black children for administered doses (White 30.5%; Black 47.8%; 95%CI) and valid doses (White 25.8%; Black 40.1%; 95%CI), although without statistical significance, and lower coverage for timely doses, in the full schedule excluding yellow fever (PR = 0.21; 95%CI 0.04;0.90).

Conclusion: There was lower timely coverage among Black children compared to White children.

Main results: It was found that racial inequalities and social disparities were reflected in vaccination coverage of Black children in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, showing lower prevalence of timely and full vaccination schedules among those children.

Implications for services: The results demonstrate the need to strengthen equitable public policies and the implementation of practices that seek to improve vaccination coverage, thus reducing racial inequalities in child immunization.

Perspectives: Health service managers will be able to plan actions and strategies in childhood immunization services, in order to increase vaccination coverage and reduce vaccination hesitancy among Black people and people from lower socioeconomic strata.