HELPIFY: Helping Individuals In Low-Income Communities Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19

By: Emily Kato, Elizabeth Johnson, Ja'Nae Lehman, & Jesse Pope

​

What is the issue?

• Low-income communities are more likely to be exposed to COVID-19 and have higher mortality rates and be more negatively impacted financially by the virus. Many individuals in these neighborhoods cannot easily travel to the mass vaccination sites due to disability, work schedules, or lack of transportation. Moreover, obtaining appointments for the mass vaccination sites require internet access, health literacy, and comfort with online registration platforms.

(Lu et al., 2021)

​

​

Why is the issue important?

• While COVID-19 affects people regardless of wealth, low-income people and communities will be affected the most due to long-standing segregation by income and race, reduced economic mobility, and the high cost of medical care. It is important that we are able to get all eligible persons vaccinated to help stop the transmission of COVID-19, especially in low-income communities where a COVID-19 infection will put someone in even more financial ruin for a hospital stay, or could be a death sentence not only for the person infected, but also others who had the virus spread to them through the initial infected person(s).

(Human Rights Watch, 2021)

​

Who does the issue affect?

• The issue affects mostly low-income communities, however this does have a bigger impact on the rest of the U.S. population as well. The more people get vaccinated against COVID-19, the less chances of it spreading to different communities throughout the U.S. and causing different mutations that could eventually become vaccine resistant. New strains of the virus could be especially deadly to low-income communities due to the lower vaccination rates, lower income rates, and overall lower quality of healthcare available.

(Human Rights Watch, 2021)

​

The Data

• Here is some population demographic data collected from zip code 85009 in Maricopa County, Arizona. 85009 is in Phoenix, AZ.

​

​

​

​

Zip Code 85009, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona: Hispanic Population

(Maricopa Association of Governments, 2019)

Zip Code 85009 in Phoenix, Arizona is a majority Hispanic population Zip Code (74.1% - 100% in most areas).

The Data

• Here is some population demographic data collected from zip code 85009 in Maricopa County, Arizona. 85009 is in Phoenix, AZ.

​

Zip Code 85009, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona: White Population

(Maricopa Association of Governments, 2019)

​

​

The White population of Zip Code 85009, it only makes up about 0% - 21% in most areas with some outlier areas that are between 21% - 63.5%.

The Data

• This is a table of COVID-19 vaccinations administered in zip code 85009 broken down by race and ethnicity with relevant data highlighted.

Zip code 85009 is a low-income zip code (in proportion to the surrounding zip codes) with an annual median income of $32,893. Despite this, there is a vaccine disparity between ethnicity and race in the zip code. Despite zip code 85009 being a mostly Hispanic area, the Hispanic population has a lower vaccination rate than the White and Non-Hispanic/Latino population.

(ArcGIS Dashboards, 2021)

How can this issue be solved by AI?

• The 3 common classified learning types: Supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and semi-supervised learning. In order to provide building blocks, and to accelerate the process of machine learning, semi-supervised learning is the most ideal in order to learn the data and make predictions.
• Unsupervised learning on a spectrum can distract from accuracy, and supervised learning can become very expensive and time consuming with input data being added individually. Processing training data from sources (ex. Caretakers, locations, bus availability) will be a part of the algorithms used to train the machine learning, the data will be started off with semi-supervised learning data sets.
• The focus on entering the right data for the machine to learn is important for the growth of the machine.
• As the machine begins to learn the right types of data regarding bus routes, caretakers, and vaccination spots the stronger the machine will get, and the more it will learn on its own sorting out the right types of information.
• Intelligence and accuracy are the two goals to strive for.

​

What might the AI user interface look like?

The “Need To Get Vaccinated” page would help the user find a vaccination site and have them schedule an appointment at the closest place available.

​

The “Need Childcare?” page would help the user find a babysitter/nanny to watch their children while they are getting vaccinated. Care.com also has the ability to let the user choose care for elderly adults and pets as well.

​

The “Bus Route” tab helps the user find the closest bus route to their vaccination site based upon the street bus routes of the area the user is located.

​

The “FAQ” page helps answer any questions the user may have about the COVID-19 vaccine, the information FAQ page is supplied directly by the CDC.

Conclusion

• There is a vaccination disparity between those who are in low-income communities, and those who are in more affluent and privileged areas and positions.
• Through our research we also found a vaccination rate disparity between different races and ethnicities within low-income communities.
• We came up with a possible AI solution to help individuals in low-income communities find the resources they may need to be able to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

​

Bibliography

ArcGIS Dashboards. (2021). Maricopa County COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://maricopa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/70123899e39941e1bac4a1e3acea9fa9.

Human Rights Watch. (2021, October 19). US: Address impact of covid-19 on poor. Human Rights Watch. Retrieved October 24, 2021, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/03/19/us-address-impact-covid-19-poor.

Lu, R., Gondi, S., & Martin, A. (2021, April 12). Inequity in vaccinations isn't always about hesitancy, it's about access. AAMC. Retrieved October 24, 2021, from https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/inequity-vaccinations-isn-t-always-about-hesitancy-it-s-about-access.

Maricopa Association of Governments. (n.d.). Arizona demographics. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://geo.azmag.gov/maps/azdemographics/.

​