Please note: The Public Health Research (PHR) Programme would like to draw researchers’ attention to the commissioning brief below, which was first advertised in Autumn 2021. This is a brief that we have previously advertised as a commissioned funding opportunity. We are still interested in receiving applications in this research area, as it remains a priority in our portfolio. However, please note that the commissioning brief, along with the underpinning literature searches, has not been updated since originally written.
Vaccination is a highly cost-effective health intervention. It can reduce health inequalities, increase access to health services and even reduce poverty. Ensuring vaccination coverage is essential not only overall, but also within the underserved communities, in order to help prevent disease and promote health.
In April 2022, NICE are expected to publish guidance on ‘Vaccine uptake in the general population’ NG10139]. NICE have indicated that although guidance will inform uptake in the general population, they will publish research recommendations that highlight gaps in the evidence around how to engage and implement vaccine uptake in underserved populations and groups. The Covid-19 pandemic and recent evidence that the Covid-19 vaccination Programme has had to adapt swiftly to become more effective at meeting the needs of underserved populations (particularly those at higher risk of disease), provides a timely opportunity to evaluate natural experiments related to vaccine uptake, CoVID-19, flu, shingles or other vaccines, in specific population groups.
The PHR programme would like to commission research evaluating population level interventions delivered in non-NHS settings aimed at increasing ANY vaccine uptake in any populations, but particular in underserved communities and groups (e.g. ethnic minorities, gypsy, roma and travellers communities, home schooled children and populations where uptake has historically been low). It is important that findings of the research are relevant and generalisable to other population groups with, for example, similar socio-cultural or socio-demographics.
Research topics of interest/key questions include (but are not limited to):
- What are the most effective ways of reaching under-served groups and removing stigma and barriers to access existing vaccination programmes?
- What are the important messages regarding vaccines and how should the messages be tailored and delivered to encourage and sustain uptake in specific groups? How do we reduce negative perceptions about vaccination and increase perceptions of their benefits?
- How could the changes implemented to facilitate increased access to the Covid-19 vaccine (e.g. vaccine centres, buses, pop-up locations etc.) be adapted and/or adopted to increase uptake of other vaccinations e.g. flu vaccination and children’s vaccinations (e.g. MMR)?
- What elements of a community-based/community-led programme work best for which populations? How and when should they be delivered and who by?
The PHR Programme would be particularly interested in any natural experiment evaluations of recently implemented, innovative interventions to reduce concerns, hesitancy and facilitate vaccine uptake.
Studies should generate evidence to inform the implementation of single or multi-component interventions. Studies may include evidence syntheses, studies evaluating interventions, including trials, quasi- and natural experimental evaluations, and feasibility and pilot studies for these. We welcome applications for linked studies (e.g. pilot + main evaluation, evidence syntheses + modelling). Secondary analyses of existing epidemiological data and/or impact modelling studies may also be funded. In all cases a strong justification for the chosen design and methods must be made.
For further information on submitting an application to the PHR Programme, please refer to the supporting information for applicants submitting stage 1 and stage 2 applications.