VACCINE UP! or VACCINE DOWN!: The diffusion of positive messaging to marginalized populations who resist the intake of COVID-19 vaccines
African Americans, Latinx Americans and, First Nations, as well as other Indigenous populations, are considered as marginalized groups by the National Institute of Health. Many within these groups are still leery of Vaccine-Uptake due to distrust for a variety of reasons related to historical traumatic experiences. Many within marginalized groups are just discovering the atrocities of the Tuskegee Institute Syphilis study and experiment between 1932-1972 made up of more than impoverished 600 African American men. The 40-year Tuskegee Study was a major violation of ethical standards and left 128 African American men unnecessarily dead. Because of this knowledge, many in marginalized groups cross-culturally have remained resistant to the VACCINE-UP approach, and have settled in the VACCINE-DOWN position to not trust the efficacy of the U.S. government-sponsored vaccines.
I am a Co-Lead Principal Investigator of the Social network diffusion of COVID-19 vaccine uptake under the Research Institute for Social Equity for disenfranchised populations in the Central US, which we refer to as (VaxUP)” in partnership with U of Chicago, U of Texas, and U of Arkansas Medical Sciences, and National Institute of Health. Our goal is to reduce stigma and mistrust of disenfranchised populations and implement and evaluate a culturally responsive COVID-19 vaccine uptake that effectively addresses past racial trauma(s), and provides a variety of culturally centered interventions that incorporates cultural practices based on their values, traditions, beliefs, communal practices, ways of knowing and being, and spirituality. It is my belief as a researcher, meeting disenfranchised populations cross-culturally from an Ethos perspective will delinate mistrust, and misconceptions about possible and potential harms in VACCINE-UPTAKE.
Appropriate messaging is necessary and needed to dispel negative attitudes regarding VACCINE-UPTAKE, and correct scientific information is urgently required for the dissemination to disenfranchised populations who do not want the vaccine, are concerned about safety, or who are not sure.
Our lives as indigenous populations depend on it!
