African Americans’ Perceptions of COVID-19 Vaccination Clinical Trials and Factors Affecting Their Decision to Participate
Date of Conferral
10-10-2023
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Public Health
Advisor
Leah Grebner
Abstract
African Americans were over 4 times more likely to be hospitalized from the effects of COVID-19. Only 23% of African Americans were represented in COVID-19 clinical trials, making it difficult to gauge how biological or genetics were affected in the vaccines for COVID-19, placing this population at greater risk. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore factors that affected African Americans’ perceptions of COVID-19 vaccination clinical trials and their subsequent decisions to participate in COVID-19 vaccination clinical trials. The health belief model guided this study to assist in understanding health-related behavior of the participants. Data were collected via semistructured interviews with 10 participants. Four key findings were derived from the coding and thematic analysis of the data: (a) promotes medical advancements, (b) stigma and mistrust, (c) lack of information, and (d) time and compensation. Findings could promote a more robust understanding of the lived experiences of African Americans and why they decided to participate in clinical trials. Findings emphasize the need for culturally sensitive and community-engaged research approaches to increase community collaboration and catalyze positive social change.
Recommended Citation
Ross, Christina, "African Americans’ Perceptions of COVID-19 Vaccination Clinical Trials and Factors Affecting Their Decision to Participate" (2023). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 14943.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/14943
