448 Infrastructural familiarity and vaccine practices: qualitative research on catch-up vaccination with Russian speaking migrants in the United Kingdom

Abstract PTH 1: Determinants of Health Disease and Interventions 1, B307 (FCSH), September 3, 2025, 14:30 - 15:30 Provision of vaccination for migrants is an important aim of the Immunization Agenda 2030 to reach global immunization goals. However, migrants around the world remain one of the under-immunised groups with different barriers to accessing vaccines. This research focused on experiences and practices with adult vaccination among Russian-speaking migrants in the UK – a group that has been increasing since 2022 but is largely unrepresented in research. 25 semi-structured interviews were conducted with Russian-speaking migrants in 2022. Among the interview participants, ten were migrants with a valid residence permit and fifteen were asylum seekers, from whom seven identified themselves as men who have sex with men (MSM). Interview data was analysed using the thematic analysis method. Results showed infrastructural and institutional barriers, rather than vaccination hesitancy, as the main challenges in accessing catch-up vaccination. Specifically, a lack of centralised provision of information and difficulties receiving vaccination in asylum centres were emphasised as important barriers. Apart from COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, most of the participants were not familiar with the availability of adult vaccines. The exception were MSM asylum seekers who were proactive in seeking vaccination options in the UK, including vaccines against Hepatitis A and B, HPV and Mpox. MSM asylum seekers highlighted an important role of sexual health clinics. These clinics served for MSM participants as a familiar infrastructure where they could receive information about vaccination and receive vaccines without the need to provide any documentation and without stigma. This finding highlights the importance of future inquiry into various vaccine infrastructures for different migrant groups, and the possibility of catch-up vaccination provision for migrant communities beyond the primary care sector.