UAMS Researchers Find Link between Experiences of Racism and Vaccine Hesitancy among Black Arkansans

By David Wise

May 2, 2022 | FAYETTEVILLE – Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Office of Community Health & Research have found that Black Arkansans who reported racial discrimination in the criminal justice system also experienced higher levels of hesitancy toward COVID-19 vaccines.

According to the Arkansas Department of Health, only around 41% of Black Arkansans five years of age and older have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. In some Arkansas counties, more than 70% of the Black population remains unvaccinated.

https://news.uams.edu/2022/05/02/uams-researchers-find-link-between-experiences-of-racism-and-vaccine-hesitancy-among-black-arkansans/

UAMS Research Sheds Light on Vaccine Hesitancy in Arkansas

By David Wise

Aug. 10, 2021 | FAYETTEVILLE – Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) have found that trust in vaccines, fear of infection, and race or ethnicity play a large role in whether or not people will get a COVID-19 vaccine, particularly when looking at socio-demographic factors.

In the study, “COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: Race/Ethnicity, Trust and Fear,” published in Clinical and Translational Science, researchers found that the majority of respondents who were surveyed in July and August of 2020 were not hesitant. Only about one in five (21%) reported vaccine hesitancy.

However, when looking at socio-demographic factors, the findings were much more pronounced across age, sex, race and ethnicity, income and education. Research subjects who were younger, African American, lower income and those who had some college or a technical degree were more likely to report hesitancy as opposed to those who were older, white, higher income and who had a four-year college degree.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/uams-study-delves-vaccine-hesitancy-arkansas