Facilitators and Barriers to COVID-19 Vaccination in Vietnamese Americans in Texas: A Survey.

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disproportionately affected Asian American communities, highlighting the need to understand the factors that influence vaccination rates, especially within subpopulations. Many trust studies have found that healthcare institutions, peers, and nonmedical health drivers play key roles in shaping vaccination decisions within specific subgroups, underscoring the need to examine these factors among subpopulations like Vietnamese Americans to develop targeted interventions. Unfortunately, Vietnamese Americans, a significant population in Texas, have limited disaggregated data available, a knowledge gap this study seeks to fill.

METHODS

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Common Survey 2 instrument was used online and via paper in English and Vietnamese. Trained volunteers, outreach events, and local Texas clinics recruited adults of Vietnamese heritage from December 2022 to April 2023. The data were analyzed through multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

Of the 425 participants who responded to a survey, the responses of 278 who completed all pertinent questions were included in the analysis. Respondents demonstrated high trust in healthcare providers (AOR [adjusted odds ratio] 2.97, 95% CI: 1.28-6.86; p = 0.011) and in the federal government (AOR 3.02, 95% CI: 1.32-6.88; p = 0.009) for COVID-19 information were associated with increased odds of COVID-19 vaccination. In contrast, high trust in peers at work or school for COVID-19 information (AOR 0.51, 95% CI: 0.22-0.89; p = 0.041) and a pandemic-related challenge of having clean water to drink in the past month (AOR 0.30, 95% CI: 0.13-0.71; p = 0.006) were associated with decreased odds of COVID-19 vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

Trust in healthcare providers and the federal government was associated with increased COVID-19 vaccine receipt among Vietnamese Americans, whereas trust in peers and endorsing COVID-19 challenges decreased COVID-19 vaccine receipt. Understanding the facilitators and barriers to vaccination among Vietnamese Americans can improve COVID-19 health equity and outcomes.