Gender equity in vaccination access during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Access to healthcare services is a challenge for all countries worldwide, including Thailand. Furthermore, the outbreak of emerging infectious diseases, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2025, led to over 704 million infections and more than 7 million deaths globally, severely impacting public health, health systems, and economies, especially among vulnerable populations, where disparities in access to healthcare and health equity are evident. This paper aims to study the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender health equity and risk communication to foster positive attitudes and gender equity in health, as well as access to vaccination services during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study found that Thai society still experiences disparities, with higher rates of COVID-19 transmission among vulnerable groups due to non-compliance with medical advice and limited access to public health services. Additionally, the pandemic has changed human behavior, leading to new public health practices such as mask-wearing and social distancing, which are particularly challenging for those with lower socioeconomic status. Vaccine access is another critical issue that reflects these disparities, with LGBTQI groups and women facing greater difficulties in accessing COVID-19 vaccination services compared to men (56.73%, 52.64%, and 50.25% for LGBTQI, women, and men, respectively). In summary, this study emphasizes the importance of risk communication in promoting equitable access to vaccines. Strategies should focus on building trust, transparency, and inclusiveness in public health messaging to meet the diverse needs of all populations and to enhance the effectiveness of prevention and control measures for COVID-19, as well as other infectious diseases.