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Create Culturally Responsive Messages
What are Culturally Responsive Messages?
Individuals are easily influenced by those around them. In Black and Hispanic communities there is a lack of confidence in vaccines and the government, which is a key reason why many who have access to vaccines refuse to get vaccinated. Culturally responsive messages use representation and influencers to target these communities and build trust in vaccines. Until recently, non-Caucasian communities were not represented in healthcare ads, which made effectiveness nearly impossible.
Vaccine Distrust
Vaccine distrust is nothing new. While it has been around for years, social media has only fueled the conversation. Furthermore, conspiracies spread like wildfire due to their engaging and captivating nature. In a study conducted by Kumar et al. researchers sited that a “a lack of trust in the government and belief in conspiracy theories played a large role in vaccine hesitancy (para. 13).” Government distrust stems from the Tuskegee trials, in which the government allowed 600 uninformed black men to partake in a syphilis trial without treating them. Since then, trust in the government and healthcare declined and has not improved.
Responsiveness
Creating culturally responsive messages are a way of breaking down barriers and gaining vaccine confidence in underserved communities. A CDC study found that two years after the launch of a culturally responsive campaign “concerns about flu vaccine risks or side effects decreased from 43% to 33% among Black adults and from 41% to 32% among Hispanic adults (CDC para 5).” By partnering with trusted media sources as well as local influencers and keeping messages current and with the times, can increase awareness and decrease fear.
