Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Uptake Among African Immigrants: Lessons from a Community-Based Outreach Program.

ABSTRACT: In 2021, the African Cultural Alliance of North America (ACANA) implemented a community-based vaccine education and outreach program to decrease hesitancy and increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake among African immigrants in Philadelphia. The program had three components: (1) tailored messaging on the benefits of vaccines by trusted community health navigators in familiar languages/dialects, (2) use of educational/tabling events, and (3) establishment of a vaccine clinic in community settings. Using secondary data analysis, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and a self-administered survey, we explored (i) the impact and effectiveness of the outreach program and extent of vaccine uptake, (ii) African immigrants' beliefs about the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccine, and (iii) barriers an

SUBMITTER: Koku EF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11913973 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature