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, Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA. dkerrigan@gwu.edu.
Andrea Mantsios, Public Health Innovation & Action, New York, NY, USA.
Tahilin Sanchez Karver, Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Wendy Davis, Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Tamara Taggart, Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Sarah K. Calabrese, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Allison Mathews, Community Expert Solutions, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Sullivan Robinson, Leadership Council for Healthy Communities, Washington, DC, USA.
Regretta Ruffin, Leadership Council for Healthy Communities, Washington, DC, USA.
Geri Feaster-Bethea, Leadership Council for Healthy Communities, Washington, DC, USA.
Lupi Quinteros-Grady, Latin American Youth Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Carmen Galvis, Latin American Youth Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Rosa Reyes, Latin American Youth Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Gabriela Martinez Chio, Latin American Youth Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Mesgana Tesfahun, Latin American Youth Center, Washington, DC, USA.
Ambrose Lane, Health Alliance Network, Washington, DC, USA.
Shanna Peeks, Black Coalition Against COVID, Washington, DC, USA.
Kimberly M. Henderson, DC Department of Health (DC Health), Communications and Community Relations, Washington, DC, USA.
Kimberly M. Harris, DC Department of Health (DC Health), Health Care Access Bureau (HCAB), Washington, DC, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2-1-2023

Journal

Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities

Volume

10

Issue

1

DOI

10.1007/s40615-022-01231-8

Keywords

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

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.

Department

Prevention and Community Health

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