Community-based Strategies to Engage Pastors Can Help Address Vaccine Hesitancy and Health Disparities in Black Communities

• DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2021.1873463
• Publication Date: 2021-03-13T10:17:27Z
• Authors: Lois Privor-Dumm; Terris King
• Keywords: Community Engagement

In an era of Freddie Gray and Black Lives Matter, a long history structural racism, combined with disproportionate rates COVID-19, the African American community has seen lot reasons to demand social justice, equal treatment immediate access solutions health disparities. Despite promise COVID-19 vaccines, is highly distrustful vaccine institutions given mistreatment many other current concerns. Trusted messengers such as pastors are crucial protecting that faces amount disease. We present framework build trust acceptance including understanding context; listening empathy; engaging trusted messengers; creating partnerships shared responsibility power; co-creation faith leaders their community, governments create sustainable, long-term change. Efforts support must be customized variety needs realities not just topic concern institution. Evaluations needed help ensure engaged feeling heard. Pastors religious can work government bring information, facilitate discussion, develop measurable improvement efforts. Although vaccines may achieved overnight, process focusing on issues important step in laying foundation for both future interventions.