RAPID: An Indigenous-Centered Approach to COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Acceptance

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Investigators on this project will collaborate with tribal health organizations to better understand vaccine decision-making in rural and remote communities in Northwest Alaska, which are currently experiencing some of the highest COVID-19 infection rates in the country. The research has three objectives: identify barriers to vaccine uptake; characterize decision-making dynamics related to vaccine acceptance and hesitancy; and evaluate the impact of public health interventions. The work advances understanding of vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among Alaskans and field tests an innovative public health intervention. This community-based study uses mixed methods to collect and analyze data. The PI team will conduct interviews with healthcare providers and community leaders about barriers and opportunities to vaccine uptake. A second set of semi-structured interviews engages participants and household members in storytelling about vaccine decision-making. Topics include values and memories that influenced decision-making and individual experiences of vaccination, infection, and loss of a family member. With participant permission, these stories will form the basis for culturally appropriate outreach materials for use by tribal health organizations. The impact of these materials will be evaluated using focus groups and analysis of social media and community vaccination rates. Project findings will be disseminated to local policymakers in the Northwest Arctic Borough, and through public health conference presentations and peer-reviewed journal publications.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.