COVID-19 Vaccination Rates and Attitudes Among Young Adults With Recent Experiences of Homelessness.

Purpose: This study provides information on COVID-19 vaccination and attitudes among young adults with recent experiences of homelessness.

Methods: Participants (n = 134) from a clinical trial of a risk reduction program for youth experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles completed survey items about COVID-19 vaccinations between March and October 2021.

Results: A total of 29% of respondents were vaccinated, and 50% were not interested in getting vaccinated. Among the unvaccinated, 58% had not been offered the vaccine; furthermore, 38%-45% had strong distrust of the vaccine and were worried about its harmfulness. Vaccination status was generally unrelated to demographics, housing instability, service use, substance use, or mental health.

Discussion: Our data suggest that vaccination rates are lower among young adults with recent experiences of homelessness than those in the general US population. The results suggest a need for greater direct outreach that includes both offering the vaccine and addressing misconceptions about its safety to increase vaccination rates in this population.