Minority and Rural Coronavirus Insights Study (MRCIS): The Need for Targeted SARS CoV-2 Vaccination Efforts in Minority Populations

Importance

Racial and ethnic minority populations have been disproportionately affected in terms of hospitalizations and deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine uptake remains a barrier to full population inoculation against this highly infectious disease.

Objective

The purpose of this report is to describe SARS-CoV-2 vaccine interest rates in a racially, geographically, and ethnically diverse study cohort and characterize vaccine interest across a racially, ethnically, and geographically diverse study population.

Design

This report describes responses to a survey administered between November 2020 and May 2021 using a community convenience sample through a partnership between the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) as part of the Minority and Rural Coronavirus Insights Study (MRCIS). Analysis of survey responses from 3,624 participants are provided.

Results

Early data from the MRCIS cohort suggest that “SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy” is more prevalent in Black versus Non-Hispanic Whites survey respondents, and the Hispanic community has positive interest in the vaccine, to a similar degree as Whites. The persistent presence of “vaccine undecideds” across different sites and racial/ethnic groups uncovers the need for more public health efforts to influence positive views about vaccination.

Conclusion

These findings highlights the urgent need for interventional educational campaigns targeted at populations at risk of low vaccine interest. Focused efforts are needed to combat misinformation and explain the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness to promote its uptake and avoid low inoculation rates. Public health communication must consider differences in population groups, regions, and social determinants of health to fully address vaccine uptake disparities and overcome alleged hesitancy.

Key Points

• Willingness to receive the SARS CoV-2 varies among minority populations.

• “SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy” is more prevalent in the non-Hispanic Black population than the non-Hispanic White and Hispanic populations.

• Public health infrastructure is needed in underserved communities for efficient assessment and targeted communication of public health priorities such as the SARS CoV-2 vaccination.