Factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in socially vulnerable Latinx communities in North Texas.

Abstract

In the United States, COVID-19 vaccines are widely available, but vaccine hesitancy and vaccine disparities remain. Healthcare providers and community organizational leaders who serve as frontline workers and interact with vaccine-hesitant people, can provide important insights on factors that perpetuate vaccine hesitancy. These perspectives may be especially important for vaccine-hesitant people with intersecting social vulnerabilities, including racial and ethnic minorities who are also LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, or pregnant people. While predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy have been examined, there has been comparatively less research on healthcare providers' and organizational leaders' perspectives about factors influencing vaccine hesitancy. Responsive to this gap, the purpose of this study was to identify healthcare providers' and organizational leaders' perspectives about factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Latinx people in North Texas who identify as (1) LGBTQ+, (2) immigrants, or (3) pregnant or postpartum individuals. We conducted in-depth interviews with 13 participants that serve these groups. Data were collected in 2022, and interviews were thematically analyzed using MaxQDA software. Participants described misinformation, interpersonal context, and pregnancy concerns as main reasons for vaccine hesitancy among their patients. Findings from this study contribute to overall knowledge of vaccine hesitancy among minoritized people, demonstrating how multilevel factors contribute to vaccine hesitancy. Further, the findings suggest potential pathways where misinformation may operate through interpersonal networks to amplify intrapersonal concerns. Due to current changes in COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, research that focuses on vaccines and misinformation is critical in preventing vaccine hesitancy.