Grant: Project Grant

Vaccines are one of the most effective ways to protect children from serious illness, yet routine childhood vaccination rates remain below national targets. While a small number of parents choose not to give their children any vaccines, up to one in four children have received some but not all recommended doses, suggesting some willingness to vaccinate if concerns or barriers are addressed. Vaccination rates are even lower among hospitalized children, and many children who have medical challenges or face social and structural barriers to primary care rely on hospitals as their main point of contact with the health system. Thus, providing routine vaccines during hospital visits - such as inpatient stays, outpatient specialty appointments, or emergency department visits - could provide an opportunity to address vaccine-related concerns and also make vaccination more convenient for families who aren't being reached by community-based programs. While some children's hospitals in Canada offer limited vaccination programs, it is not widely implemented. Before acute care and public health decision-makers are willing to invest in hospital-based vaccination programs, they need evidence that it will be effective. This project will work with public health and hospital leaders, clinician-scientists, and Indigenous health partners in Alberta to evaluate the potential expansion of in-hospital childhood vaccination services. We will assess how many undervaccinated children could be reached, whether parents support this approach, what resources would be required, and whether the health benefits justify the costs - particularly for children experiencing inequities. The findings will provide practical evidence to guide decisions about whether and how in-hospital vaccination programs should be expanded in Alberta and other provinces. Ultimately, this research aims to strengthen Canada's vaccination system, improve equity in access to vaccines, and better protect children's health.