Document Type
Article
Abstract
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 vaccines play a critical role in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and despite vaccine availability, disparities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Canadian subgroups exist. Community organizations are uniquely situated to relay important vaccine messaging around all vaccines, understand components of vaccine hesitancy, and facilitate vaccine uptake within the communities they serve. The objective of this research was to solicit community organizations perspectives specific to COVID-19 vaccines and explore strategies of increasing vaccine uptake within their communities. METHODS: A qualitative focus group study was held in the spring of 2021 with 40 community organizations from across the country. Discussions focused on COVID-19 vaccine communication and awareness within their communities, vaccine misinformation, and strategies to increase vaccine acceptance and access. Data were analyzed utilizing thematic and inductive techniques. RESULTS: Vaccine hesitancy was identified among staff and clients. Vaccine confidence, complacency, convenience, and mistrust in government and authorities were identified as contributors to vaccine hesitancy. Community organizations utilized innovative and novel methods to encourage vaccine uptake and increase vaccine confidence. Leveraging established trusting relationships was key to successful messaging within communities. CONCLUSION: Community organizations used innovative methods, built on established trust, to increase vaccine confidence within their communities and among their staff. Community agencies played an important role in COVID-19 vaccine uptake within subgroups of the Canadian population. Community organizations are key public health partners and play a critical role in increasing COVID-19 vaccine confidence.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Publication Info
Published in Frontiers in Public Health, Volume 11, 2023.
APA Citation
Ashfield, S., Donelle, L., Uppal, G., Bauer, M., & Kothari, A. (2023). Community organization perspectives on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and how they increased COVID-19 vaccine confidence: a Canadian Immunization Research Network, social sciences and humanities network study. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1258742
Rights
© 2023 Ashfield, Donelle, Uppal, Bauer and Kothari. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.