Context and Considerations for the Development of Community-Informed Health Communication Messaging to Support Equitable Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccines Among Communities of Color in Washington, DC

Deanna Kerrigan; Andrea Mantsios; Tahilin Sanchez Karver; Wendy Davis; Tamara Taggart; Sarah K Calabrese; Allison Mathews; Sullivan Robinson; Regretta Ruffin; Geri Feaster-Bethea; Lupi Quinteros-Grady; Carmen Galvis; Rosa Reyes; Gabriela Martinez Chio; Mesgana Tesfahun; Ambrose Lane; Shanna Peeks; Kimberly M Henderson; Kimberly M Harris

doi:10.1007/s40615-022-01231-8

Context and Considerations for the Development of Community-Informed Health Communication Messaging to Support Equitable Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccines Among Communities of Color in Washington, DC

J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2023 Feb;10(1):395-409. doi: 10.1007/s40615-022-01231-8. Epub 2022 Feb 3.

Authors

Deanna Kerrigan¹, Andrea Mantsios², Tahilin Sanchez Karver³, Wendy Davis³, Tamara Taggart³, Sarah K Calabrese⁴, Allison Mathews⁵, Sullivan Robinson⁶, Regretta Ruffin⁶, Geri Feaster-Bethea⁶, Lupi Quinteros-Grady⁷, Carmen Galvis⁷, Rosa Reyes⁷, Gabriela Martinez Chio⁷, Mesgana Tesfahun⁷, Ambrose Lane⁸, Shanna Peeks⁹, Kimberly M Henderson¹⁰, Kimberly M Harris¹¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA. dkerrigan@gwu.edu.
² Public Health Innovation & Action, New York, NY, USA.
³ Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
⁵ Community Expert Solutions, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
⁶ Leadership Council for Healthy Communities, Washington, DC, USA.
⁷ Latin American Youth Center, Washington, DC, USA.
⁸ Health Alliance Network, Washington, DC, USA.
⁹ Black Coalition Against COVID, Washington, DC, USA.
¹⁰ DC Department of Health (DC Health), Communications and Community Relations, Washington, DC, USA.
¹¹ DC Department of Health (DC Health), Health Care Access Bureau (HCAB), Washington, DC, USA.

Abstract

Background: Communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. We explored barriers and facilitators to COVID-19 vaccine uptake among African American, Latinx, and African immigrant communities in Washington, DC.

Methods: A total of 76 individuals participated in qualitative interviews and focus groups, and 208 individuals from communities of color participated in an online crowdsourcing contest.

Results: Findings documented a lack of sufficient, accurate information about COVID-19 vaccines and questions about the science. African American and African immigrant participants spoke about the deeply rooted historical underpinnings to their community's vaccine hesitancy, citing the prior and ongoing mistreatment of people of color by the medical community. Latinx and African immigrant participants highlighted how limited accessibility played an important role in the slow uptake of COVID-19 vaccines in their communities. Connectedness and solidarity were found to be key assets that can be drawn upon through community-driven responses to address social-structural challenges to COVID-19 related vaccine uptake.

Conclusions: The historic and ongoing socio-economic context and realities of communities of color must be understood and respected to inform community-based health communication messaging to support vaccine equity for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

Keywords: COVID-19; Communities of color; Vaccine equity; Washington, DC.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19* / prevention & control
District of Columbia
Health Communication*
Humans
Public Health

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines