Exploring Vaccine Confidence and Uptake of Potential COVID-19 Vaccines
Condition: Coronavirus
MeSH terms: Coronavirus Infections
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted deleterious US health inequities. Specifically, African
      Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans have and continue to shoulder a greater burden of
      COVID-19 infections and deaths in the US. In addition to existing racial and ethnic
      disparities are rural health and regional disparities. Given the disproportionate impact of
      disease in US communities of color and also in rural and southern regions of the US, there is
      no doubt that these at-risk subgroups will continue to experience higher rates of
      coronavirus-related mortality as well as other long-term health outcomes as compared to other
      US populations.

      It is unknown how healthcare providers and other key at-risk subgroups within the US will
      receive COVID-19 vaccines. For success in immunizations, the US will need to reach their most
      at-risk and vulnerable populations. In addition to at-risk populations, a successful
      immunization strategy will involve engaging providers to support clear, consistent, and
      strong vaccine recommendation. It is critical to build vaccine trust, confidence, and overall
      acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare providers and key at-risk subgroups,
      especially given the accelerated production timeline of these vaccines. Likewise, tailored
      vaccine messaging for key subgroups is vital in achieving vaccine confidence and trust.

      The proposed study will explore perceptions, confidence, trust, and uptake of potential
      COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare providers (nurses and doctors) and key at-risk population
      subgroups (minority populations living in the rural south) and will develop and test vaccine
      messaging that boosts vaccine confidence and trust among these key at-risk subgroups.
    

Detailed description: 
      Study objectives are as follows: Objective 1: To assess COVID-19 perceptions, COVID-19
      vaccine confidence, projected vaccine recommendation practices, and trust in the health
      system and public health authorities among a cross-section of healthcare providers in the US
      (nurses and physicians); Objective 2: To assess COVID-19 perceptions, COVID-19 vaccine
      confidence, projected vaccine uptake, and trust in the health system, in healthcare
      providers, and in public health authorities among key at-risk subgroups in the US (minority
      populations living in the rural south); and Objective 3: To develop, tailor, and test
      COVID-19 vaccine messaging to boost vaccine confidence and trust, and COVID-19 preventive
      behavior, among at-risk subgroups in the US (minority populations living in the rural south).
      Perceptions, confidence, uptake, and trust in potential COVID-19 vaccines will be assessed
      among four identified and distinct groups via a quantitative and electronic survey and
      qualitative focus groups with key at-risk subgroups will be utilized to develop, tailor, and
      test COVID-19 vaccine messaging for at-risk subgroups.

      This study will: 1) provide important national-level data regarding healthcare provider
      vaccine perceptions, confidence, trust, and projected vaccine recommendation practices for
      COVID-19, 2) ascertain vaccine perceptions, confidence, trust, and projected uptake of
      potential COVID-19 vaccines among at-risk populations in the US, and 3) develop tailored
      messaging for at-risk populations that can be used to boost vaccine confidence and trust, and
      preventive behaviors, among these high-risk groups in the coming years. This study will help
      to inform a larger coordinated national promotion strategy and campaign that can work to
      effectively communicate with the public about potential COVID-19 vaccines.
    

Intervention name(s): Survey research
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): This is not an intervention study. It involves social science research of surveys and focus groups.
Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Cross-Sectional
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Objectives 1 and 2 will be met by administering an electronic quantitative survey among the
        following four distinct groups: 1) Nurses (at least 50% from the south), 2) Primary
        Care/Family Physicians (at least 50% from the south), 3) Rural, low-income, minority men
        and women living in the south (income of $25K per year or less and 70% of respondents will
        be Black, Latina, or Native American) and 4) Urban, low-income minority men and women
        living in the south (income of $25K per year or less and 70% of respondents will be Black,
        Latina, or Native American). Each group will contain at least 150 subjects for a total of
        600 participants.