Abstract
The intersection of health and faith, the impact of partnerships to improve COVID vaccination rates in minoritized communities.
APHA 2022 Annual Meeting and Expo
ISSUE: The pandemic has further exposed health disparities in minoritized communities. Blacks and Latinos are being vaccinated at lower rates in comparison to White’s within Southeastern Virginia. This contributed to increased exposure, illness, hospitalization and death. Sentara’s Office of Health Equity’s goal was to increase the number of people of color being vaccinated.
DESCRIPTION: There were two main phases to the developments of COVID-19 vaccinations. Phase 1 (Jan 30, 2021) was mass vaccination. Sentara partnered with two local cities and community partners to provide 10,000 vaccinations in one day. In Phase 2 (March 2021) vaccinations were administered in safe spaces (houses of worship) identified by trusted voices in the communities.
LESSONS LEARNED: Distrust, mistrust and other confounding factors, such as access and cost influenced vaccine uptake. Five specific lessons learned contributed to the shift in our strategy and success interacting with minoritized communities. (1) Fear and stigma exacerbated vaccine hesitancy. (2) Messaging is everything and must be targeted with cultural humility. (3) There must be intentionality to identify and address specific access issues community by community to increase utilization. (4) Offering wrap-around services increases participation and value to community members. (5) Consistent education and transparent communication protect against misinformation. Partnering with faith leaders and organizations improved the community’s perception of trust worthiness of the health system.
RECOMMENDATIONS: The health system must continue to earn the trust of the community outside of a global pandemic by listening and demonstrating presence through culturally aware programs, education and community access points.