Brain, behavior, & immunity - health
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Brain Behav Immun Health · Aug 2021
ReviewCOVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in Hispanics and African-Americans: A review and recommendations for practice.
COVID-19 vaccines were approved for use in the general American public by late 2020 and early 2021. Media reports started highlighting COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in racial and ethnic minorities. However, little is known about the extent of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy in racial and ethnic minorities and whether there are unique sociodemographic and cognitive correlates associated with vaccine hesitancy. ⋯ In contrast, the overall pooled prevalence rate of COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy for African-Americans was 41.6% (95%Ci = 34.4-48.9) and for Hispanics, it was 30.2% (95%Ci = 23.2-37.7). The major predictors of vaccine hesitancy in African-Americans and Hispanics were: sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age, gender, income, education, and household size); medical mistrust and history of racial discrimination; exposure to myths and misinformation, perceived risk of getting infected with COVID-19; beliefs about vaccines and past vaccine compliance, and concerns about the safety, efficacy, and side effects from the COVID-19 vaccines. Given the high COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy rates in racial/ethnic minorities and the unique factors associated with vaccine hesitancy in African-Americans and Hispanics, several clinic-based and community-oriented practice recommendations have been included in this article.