Project 2VIDA! SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Intervention Delivery for Adults in Southern California

PROJECT SUMMARY COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted marginalized people, particularly those from Black and Latinx communities. Prior to the pandemic, Black and Latinx populations already had higher rates of chronic conditions such as hypertension, lung disease, heart disease, and diabetes, which have placed them at much higher risk for negative COVID-19 outcomes compared to non-Hispanic white populations. While COVID-19 vaccination has been identified as an important public health measure for addressing the spread and severity of COVID-19, vaccine hesitancy remains a significant issue. Previous research has linked COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black and Latinx communities to historical and contemporary experiences of medical racism; however, the high prevalence of chronic conditions among Black and Latinx communities complicates questions around trust and vaccine hesitancy. For instance, while some research has found that individuals with chronic conditions were less hesitant to accept COVID-19 vaccination than individuals without chronic conditions, other work has suggested that racialized individuals with chronic conditions remained vaccine hesitant. Previous research on flu vaccination has also found an association between vaccine hesitancy and previous experiences of medical mistreatment among individuals with chronic health conditions. There is some evidence to suggest that racialized individuals with chronic conditions are less likely to seek medical care due to experiences of medical racism which have increased distrust, which may be one factor contributing to vaccine hesitancy. While a large body of research has examined vaccine attitudes among racialized populations and people with chronic conditions, there has been less research examining actual COVID-19 vaccine outcomes for these populations. Additionally, there has been a substantial amount of research calling for methods that can increase marginalized communities' trust in vaccination through community-based partnerships and delivery of vaccine information by trusted entities. Project 2VIDA! uses a community-engaged approach to vaccine promotion and provides a valuable opportunity to examine vaccine outcomes for racialized individuals with chronic conditions. The proposed project will seek to better understand the relationship between chronic physical health conditions, institutional trust, and vaccine outcomes among 2VIDA! participants using community-based, mixed-methods approaches. This analysis will provide additional context for vaccine uptake and attitudes among participants as well as expanding the CBPR approach to explore possibilities for applying findings from Project 2VIDA! to future community-led interventions. This project will also allow the training of a junior researcher who comes from a disadvantaged background and is committed to addressing health disparities as well as advancing diversity and inclusion in research through mentorship and academic service.