Targeting COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Minority Populations in the US: Implications for Herd Immunity
There has been a continuous underrepresentation of minorities in healthcare research and vaccine trials, along with long-standing systemic racism and discrimination that have been fueling the distrust of the healthcare system among these communities for decades. The history and legacy of racial inju...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Vaccines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/5/489 |
| _version_ | 1797534617580863488 |
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| author | James E. K. Hildreth Donald J. Alcendor |
| author_facet | James E. K. Hildreth Donald J. Alcendor |
| author_sort | James E. K. Hildreth |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There has been a continuous underrepresentation of minorities in healthcare research and vaccine trials, along with long-standing systemic racism and discrimination that have been fueling the distrust of the healthcare system among these communities for decades. The history and legacy of racial injustices and negative experiences within a culturally insensitive healthcare system have greatly contributed to vaccine hesitancy among ethnic minorities. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy will impact vaccine uptake in the US, subsequently hindering the establishment of herd immunity (75–85% of the population vaccinated) to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission. Information targeting underserved racial/ethnic minorities in the US in a culturally competent manner has been lacking. This information is crucial for educating these communities about COVID-19 vaccines and their distribution as well as dispelling misinformation regarding vaccine trials, safety, and efficacy. This lack of education has greatly contributed to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and will increase disparities in vaccine uptake. Moreover, timely vaccinations are also essential to curtailing virus transmission and the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants that may evade the immune response produced by the three existing COVID-19 vaccines. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:33:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf77a695a0c84eb2bc860fe0b0e2e0db |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-393X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:33:04Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Vaccines |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf77a695a0c84eb2bc860fe0b0e2e0db2023-11-21T19:08:20ZengMDPI AGVaccines2076-393X2021-05-019548910.3390/vaccines9050489Targeting COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Minority Populations in the US: Implications for Herd ImmunityJames E. K. Hildreth0Donald J. Alcendor1Center for AIDS Health Disparities Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, 1005 Dr. D.B. Todd Jr. Blvd., Nashville, TN 37208-3599, USACenter for AIDS Health Disparities Research, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, 1005 Dr. D.B. Todd Jr. Blvd., Nashville, TN 37208-3599, USAThere has been a continuous underrepresentation of minorities in healthcare research and vaccine trials, along with long-standing systemic racism and discrimination that have been fueling the distrust of the healthcare system among these communities for decades. The history and legacy of racial injustices and negative experiences within a culturally insensitive healthcare system have greatly contributed to vaccine hesitancy among ethnic minorities. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy will impact vaccine uptake in the US, subsequently hindering the establishment of herd immunity (75–85% of the population vaccinated) to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission. Information targeting underserved racial/ethnic minorities in the US in a culturally competent manner has been lacking. This information is crucial for educating these communities about COVID-19 vaccines and their distribution as well as dispelling misinformation regarding vaccine trials, safety, and efficacy. This lack of education has greatly contributed to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and will increase disparities in vaccine uptake. Moreover, timely vaccinations are also essential to curtailing virus transmission and the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants that may evade the immune response produced by the three existing COVID-19 vaccines.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/5/489health disparitiescoronavirusvaccine hesitancySARS-CoV-2COVID-19minorities populations |
| spellingShingle | James E. K. Hildreth Donald J. Alcendor Targeting COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Minority Populations in the US: Implications for Herd Immunity Vaccines health disparities coronavirus vaccine hesitancy SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 minorities populations |
| title | Targeting COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Minority Populations in the US: Implications for Herd Immunity |
| title_full | Targeting COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Minority Populations in the US: Implications for Herd Immunity |
| title_fullStr | Targeting COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Minority Populations in the US: Implications for Herd Immunity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Targeting COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Minority Populations in the US: Implications for Herd Immunity |
| title_short | Targeting COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Minority Populations in the US: Implications for Herd Immunity |
| title_sort | targeting covid 19 vaccine hesitancy in minority populations in the us implications for herd immunity |
| topic | health disparities coronavirus vaccine hesitancy SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 minorities populations |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/9/5/489 |
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