Stoner Marie Cd, Browne Erica N, Tweedy David, Pettifor Audrey E, Maragh-Bass Allysha C, Toval Christina, Tolley Elizabeth E, Comello Maria Leonora G, Muessig Kathryn E, Budhwani Henna, Hightow-Weidman Lisa B
RTI International, Berkeley, CA, United States.
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
JMIR Form Res. 2022 Sep 2;6(9):e39144. doi: 10.2196/39144.
Few studies have focused on attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination among Black or African American young adults (BYA) in the Southern United States, despite high levels of infection in this population.
To understand this gap, we conducted an online survey to explore beliefs and experiences related to COVID-19 vaccination among BYA (aged 18-29 years) in 3 southern states.
We recruited 150 BYA to participate in an online survey as formative research for an intervention to address vaccine hesitancy in Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina from September 22, 2021, to November 18, 2021. Participants were recruited through social media ads on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Additionally, we distributed information about the survey through organizations working with BYA in Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina; our community partners; and network collaborations. We used measures that had been used and were previously validated in prior surveys, adapting them to the context of this study.
Roughly 28 (19%) of the participants had not received any doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Half of the unvaccinated respondents (n=14, 50%) reported they wanted to wait longer before getting vaccinated. Motivators to get vaccinated were similar between unvaccinated and vaccinated respondents (eg, if required, to protect the health of others), but the main motivator for those vaccinated was to protect one's own health. Among unvaccinated individuals, reasons for not receiving the COVID-19 vaccine included concern about vaccine side effects (n=15, 54%) and mistrust of vaccine safety (n=13, 46%), of effectiveness (n=12, 43%), and of the government's involvement with vaccines (n=12, 43%). Experiences of discrimination (n=60, 40%) and mistrust of vaccines (n=54, 36%) were common overall. Among all respondents, those who said they would be motivated to get vaccinated if it was required for school, work, or travel were more likely to endorse negative beliefs about vaccines compared to those motivated for other reasons.
Mistrust in COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy is common among BYA in the Southern United States, irrespective of vaccination status. Other motivators, such as safety of family and community and vaccination requirements, may be able to tip the scales toward a decision to be vaccinated among those who are initially hesitant. However, it is unclear how vaccine requirements among BYA in the South affect trust in the government or health care in the long term. Interventions that include BYA in vaccination messaging and programs may more proactively build feelings of trust and combat misinformation.
尽管美国南部的黑人或非裔美国年轻人（BYA）感染率很高，但很少有研究关注这一人群对新冠疫苗接种的态度。
为了解这一差距，我们开展了一项在线调查，以探究美国南部3个州18至29岁的BYA人群中与新冠疫苗接种相关的观念和经历。
2021年9月22日至2021年11月18日，我们招募了150名BYA参与一项在线调查，作为解决阿拉巴马州、佐治亚州和北卡罗来纳州疫苗犹豫问题的干预措施的形成性研究。参与者通过脸书、推特、照片墙和优兔上的社交媒体广告招募。此外，我们还通过在阿拉巴马州、佐治亚州和北卡罗来纳州与BYA合作的组织、我们的社区合作伙伴以及网络合作来分发有关该调查的信息。我们采用了先前调查中使用并经过验证的测量方法，并使其适用于本研究的背景。
约28名（19%）参与者尚未接种任何一剂新冠疫苗。未接种疫苗的受访者中有一半（n = 14，50%）表示他们想再等一段时间再接种。未接种和已接种疫苗的受访者接种疫苗的动机相似（例如，如果有要求，为了保护他人健康），但已接种疫苗者的主要动机是保护自己的健康。在未接种疫苗的个体中，未接种新冠疫苗的原因包括担心疫苗副作用（n = 15，54%）、对疫苗安全性（n = 13，46%）、有效性（n = 12，43%）以及政府对疫苗的参与情况（n = 12，43%）的不信任。总体而言，歧视经历（n = 60，40%）和对疫苗的不信任（n = 54，36%）很常见。在所有受访者中，那些表示如果学校、工作或旅行要求接种疫苗就会有接种动机的人，与因其他原因有接种动机的人相比，更有可能认可对疫苗的负面看法。
在美国南部的BYA人群中，无论疫苗接种状况如何，对新冠疫苗安全性和有效性的不信任都很常见。其他动机，如家庭和社区安全以及疫苗接种要求，可能会促使那些最初犹豫不决的人决定接种疫苗。然而，目前尚不清楚美国南部BYA人群中的疫苗接种要求从长期来看如何影响对政府或医疗保健的信任。将BYA纳入疫苗接种宣传和项目中的干预措施可能会更积极地建立信任感并对抗错误信息。
