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Abstract
Objectives: People experiencing homelessness (PEH) have been especially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, likely due to increased vulnerabilities stemming from chronic diseases, substance use, and mental health conditions.
Design: A case–control study to assess the presence of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 among PEH and associations with key variables.
Sample: A convenience sample of 97 PEH in Skid Row, Los Angeles.
Measurements: A structured questionnaire assessing socio-demographic, mental health, drug and alcohol use, health care access, pandemic stress, and other COVID-19-specific questions.
Results: We found high anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG titers among five of 15 PEH who reported no prior COVID-19 diagnosis or being vaccinated, suggesting undiagnosed and/or asymptomatic COVID-19. While anti-RBD IgG titers across vaccination categories were not statistically significant (p = .069), participants vaccinated with Janssen had the lowest mean anti-RBD IgG titers. In multivariable analysis, we found negative associations between level of SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers with the Janssen vaccine and depression; thus, a need for integrated care for PEH with depression and COVID-19.
Conclusions: Further research is warranted to confirm the immune response, initial and over time, to SARS-CoV-2 infection and to COVID-19 vaccinations, particularly among PEH whose immune systems may be impacted by multiple health conditions.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2023
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1111/phn.13170
Funding Information
UCI Office of Research Craft-COVID
Repository Citation
Nyamathi, Adeline; Shin, Sanghyuk S.; Doratt, Brianna M.; Jones-Patten, Alexandria; Salem, Benissa; Gelberg, Lillian; Lee, Darlene; Garfin, Dana; Yadav, Kartik; Chang, Alicia H.; White, Kathryn; Arce, Nicholas; and Messaoudi, Ilhem, "Correlates of SARS-CoV-2 anti-RBD IgG antibody titers among persons experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles" (2023). Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Faculty Publications. 171.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/microbio_facpub/171
Notes/Citation Information
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. © 2023 The Authors. Public Health Nursing published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.