Uncovering and Addressing Cultural Beliefs Behind Vaccine Racial Disparities

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Persistent disparities exist in routine immunizations and immunizations in a public health emergency such as the H1N1 pandemic between Black and White adults for vaccine preventable diseases. Research has identified numerous factors that contribute to but do not account fully for the disparities. Further research is needed to understand attitudes, cultural beliefs, and other psychosocial factors that influence vaccine behavior. We will identify new factors affecting immunization disparities and test the effectiveness of new communication components on intent to get a vaccine. Methods include: 1) focus groups and belief elicitation interviews to uncover psychosocial factors and cultural variables; 2) construction of new quantitative items and cognitive interviews assessing those items; 3) a national pilot survey with 200 Blacks and Whites to validate the instrument; 4) a nationally representative survey of 1600 Blacks and Whites; 5) translation of results into communication components; and 6) testing those components with 200 Black adults.