Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance: Building Trust to Protect Nursing Home Staff & Residents

July 21, 2021

Richard Feifer. LaShuan Bethea, Elizabeth White.

Journal of the American Medical Directors Association

Feifer et al. looked at the effects various interventions had on vaccine acceptance in minority communities working at Genesis HealthCare, a nursing home in the United States. The interventions included were “Ask a Doc” sessions before the vaccine was available, where staff could receive factual information about the vaccine and the science behind it. Once vaccinations began, a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee was formed to address the low vaccination rates among their Black and Hispanic colleagues. The DEI also held informational sessions that aimed to provide further information. As a result of these sessions, vaccination rates increased the highest among American Indian and Alaskan Native, Hispanic, and Black employees by 8.2%, 6.1% and 5.4% respectively. Based on these findings, the authors suggest ongoing efforts to continually spread information and awareness to increase vaccination rates among vulnerable populations.

Feifer R, Bethea L, White E. Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance: Building Trust to Protect Nursing Home Staff & Residents. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2021; published online July 21. DOI:10.1016/J.JAMDA.2021.07.006.

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