Getting to Yes: Vaccinating the Hesitant and Resistant Among Populations who Experience Health Disparities and Lower Vaccination Rates

Abstract: 

Getting to Yes is a collaboration with The Tri-County Rural Health Network, UMAS, GSU, and UGA. The overall goal of this work will be to understand the drivers of the most hesitant black residents in the region, to determine an effective mass communication intervention, and to evaluate if and why it’s effective. There are 4 aims in this project. Aim 1 will determine local drivers of COVID-19 and other vaccine hesitancy using community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods. Aim 2 will look at strategies to increase COVID-19 and other vaccine acceptance and confidence by co-designing a community-tailored, evidence-based communication intervention. For Aim 3, we will evaluate the relevance, gaps, and usefulness of the National Academy of Sciences' vaccination communications recommendations for increasing vaccinations in poor, rural areas in the U.S., which are removed from urban/suburban/exurban centers with resources that promote vaccine acceptance and confidence. Lastly, for Aim 4 we will increase the capacity of the community-based partner to continue improving immunization rates and reduce other health disparities in the Delta after completion of the grant using their enhanced research skills and partnerships.