Factors influencing refugees’ willingness to accept COVID‐19 vaccines in Greater Sydney: a qualitative study

Abstract

Objectives: Achieving high vaccination coverage is a critical strategy to reducing the spread of COVID‐19 infection. This study, undertaken before the Delta variant outbreak, aimed to understand potential drivers and barriers influencing COVID‐19 vaccine uptake for refugees. Methods: Four focus group interviews were conducted with 37 refugees from four language groups (Arabic, Dari, Dinka and Karen). Data were analysed thematically. Results: Willingness to accept COVID‐19 vaccines was associated with participants’ perceptions of disease severity, and benefits such as increased immunity against COVID‐19 disease and prevention of the spread of the disease. Cues for increasing individual willingness to get vaccinated included obtaining information from trusted sources and community engagement. By contrast, information gaps on vaccines compounded by misinformation on social media contributed to a reluctance to be vaccinated. Conclusion: As this study was conducted before the Delta variant outbreak, participants’ stance on COVID‐19 vaccines may have changed. However, addressing vaccine literacy needs for this group remains an on‐going priority. Health promotion initiatives must be tailored to the different socio‐cultural contexts of each community. Implications for public health: Engagement with refugee populations is critical for optimising access and uptake of vaccines to protect health, prevent death and ensure that control of the pandemic is equitable. This may also provide valuable public health lessons for other marginalised populations.

‘Corona is coming’: COVID‐19 vaccination perspectives and experiences amongst Culturally and Linguistically Diverse West Australians

“…Accordingly, they believed that GPs would have more opportunities to address COVID‐19 vaccine concerns than mass vaccination clinic staff. However, GPs may not always be easily accessible within an acceptable timeframe to the patient, 33 meaning some CALD individuals are turning to or relying on social media for their health/COVID‐19 information 9 …”

“…However, an online survey of refugees in Australia in mid‐2021 identified that 88% had not yet received a COVID‐19 vaccine 7 . Emerging evidence suggests that COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy is prevalent among Australian CALD populations 8,9 . Focus groups conducted in mid‐2021 in New South Wales with CALD people indicated that 42% of participants were not planning to be vaccinated, and 29% were unsure or hesitant 8 .…”

Factors associated with COVID-19 booster vaccine willingness among migrants from the Eastern Mediterranean living in Australia: a cross-sectional study

“…2 The practical considerations of interacting in public life may have outweighed safety concerns for some participants. 29,30 Further, the emergence of new variants, increase in breakthrough infections, and waning immunity may have affected willingness to receive a booster vaccine and potentially generated concerns about effectiveness in the time since this study was conducted.…”

“…Previous studies reported that information need, subjective norms, perceived risk, and information channels can affect COVID-19 vaccine willingness, but they did not ask participants explicitly about exposure to the concerning news. 12,21,22,24,25,29,30,[33][34][35][36] The effect of exposure to concerning news on willingness to receive a booster dose is an area that needs further research especially with the introduction of new vaccines. Our nding may be related to explicitly asking respondents about the news they had consumed in recent months.…”

“…Uncertainty about new vaccines, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the perception of changing information and advice, can affect how individuals interpret and trust information and public health expertise over time. 29,30,37,38 Ambiguity around an issue such as COVID-19 vaccines is an important issue for the general public and can facilitate the spread of misinformation and rumour. 39 In the time of uncertainty about effectiveness and safety of a vaccine it is important that the health authorities are equipped with the knowledge and skills of uncertainty communication.…”