Where the truth really lies: Listening to voices from African American communities in the Southern States about COVID-19 vaccine information and communication

Abstract

Background: High uptake of COVID-19 vaccine is one of the most promising measures to control the pandemic. However, some African American (AA) communities exhibit vaccination hesitancy due to mis- or dis-information. It is important to understand the challenges in accessing reliable COVID-19 vaccine information and to develop feasible health communication interventions based on voices from AA communities. Methods: We conducted two focus group discussions (FGDs) among 18 community leaders recruited from three counties in South Carolina on October 8 and October 29, 2021. The FGDs were conducted online via Zoom meetings. The FGD data were managed and thematically analyzed using QSR NVivo 12 software. Results: Participants (73% female and 61% between the ages of 18 and 30) worked primarily in colleges (55.5%), churches (39%), and health agencies (5.5%). We found that challenges of accessing reliable COVID-19 vaccine information in AA communities primarily included structural barriers, information barriers, and lack of trust. Community leaders recommended recruiting trusted messengers, using homecoming events, football games, and other social events to reach target populations and conducting health communication campaigns through open dialogue among stakeholders. Conclusion: Health communication interventions on COVID-19 vaccine uptake should be grounded in ongoing community engagement, trust-building activities, and transparent communication about vaccine development. Tailoring health communication interventions to different groups may help reduce misinformation spread and thus promote vaccination in AA communities in the Southern States.

Understanding Low Vaccine Uptake in the Context of Public Health in High-Income Countries: A Scoping Review

“…Health promotion efforts should include community engagement [ 65 ] and dialogue to increase COVID-19 vaccination acceptance since disparities in racial immunization are likely due to structural racism [ 84 ] and culturally competent outreach, such as townhalls, could be used to answer questions and counter misinformation [ 57 ]. Healthcare providers should link with the community through communication channels, including community outreach and social media [ 57 ].…”

“…In addition, grassroots organizations can engage Black communities personally and culturally sensitively [ 109 ]. Community engagement is also needed for accurate messaging and behavioral change [ 65 ] and helps to improve transparency; it is an internal asset-based approach rather than an external top-down problem-solving approach [ 97 ].…”

“…Misinformation and mistrust are the main causes of VH in Black communities [ 65 ]. Misinformation, lacking clear, culturally relevant information, and timely and accurate race-based data collection have contributed to mistrust [ 97 ].…”

Music Videos as Health Promotion: Juvenile’s “Vax That Thang Up” and the Promotion of the COVID-19 Vaccine in the Black Community

“…For some, other community leaders, such as athletes, are best designed to circulate information related to the vaccine. Similar to Bogart et al (2021) , Zhang et al (2022) write, “participants suggested to reach out to the target population through social events, behavioral economics, storytelling, and media strategies” (p. 3).…”

“…CCA can, and should, be used in every step of social marketing campaigns, from message construction to evaluation. In their study that utilized focus groups to understand vaccine hesitancy amongst African Americans in the Deep South, Zhang et al (2022) found that the trusted messengers of health information are not doctors or health officials; instead, they are members who already have trust and rapport in the community. This finding aligns with previous research ( Bogart et al, 2021 ).…”