Prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among migrant and refugee groups : A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives: Understanding COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among migrant and refugee groups is critical for achieving vaccine equity. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among migrant and refugee populations. Methods: A systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42022333337) was conducted (December 2019–July 2022) using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest and Google Scholar. Results: Nineteen studies from 12 countries were included. The pooled estimated prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine willingness among migrant and refugee groups was 70% (19 studies, 95% CI: 62.3–77.4%, I2: 99.19%, τ2: 0.03). Female and male participants did not differ significantly with each other (p = 0.64). Although no individual variable contributed statistically significantly in multivariable meta-regression analysis, the multivariable model that considered methodological quality, mean age of participants, participant group and country of origin explained 67% of variance. Discussion: Proportions of migrant/refugee groups receiving COVID-19 vaccinations approximated those observed among general populations. Additional studies are needed to examine factors relating to vaccine willingness to identify the most significant factors that may be targeted in interventions