Effectiveness of Community-Engaged Research Strategies in Increasing COVID-19 Vaccinations in Targeted Communities: The Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Regional Teams.

Abstract

<b>Objectives.</b> To explore a key outcome of interest for the Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Regional Teams by examining COVID-19 vaccinations over time in US counties where CEAL teams operated and comparing them to demographically similar counties in the same state. <b>Methods.</b> Our evaluation used a nonequivalent control group design. Each county where a CEAL team operated was matched to a unique non-CEAL county in the same state. Components of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Social Vulnerability Index were used as the matching criteria. COVID-19 vaccinations (county-level percentage of residents aged 18 years or older who are fully vaccinated) for CEAL and matched counties were analyzed over time. <b>Results.</b> The mean percentage of vaccinated adults was significantly higher in CEAL counties than in matched non-CEAL counties. Sensitivity analyses confirmed conclusions did not change depending on the CEAL cohort or closeness of matches. <b>Conclusions.</b> Our findings support CEAL team efforts to increase COVID-19 vaccinations in target communities and employ community-engaged research more broadly within public health contexts. (<i>Am J Public Health</i>. 2024;114(S1):S124-S127. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307517).