{"id":50517,"date":"2021-06-24T20:21:04","date_gmt":"2021-06-24T19:21:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/?p=50517"},"modified":"2021-06-24T22:30:52","modified_gmt":"2021-06-24T21:30:52","slug":"trusted-messengers-are-key-to-encouraging-vaccine-uptake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2021\/06\/24\/trusted-messengers-are-key-to-encouraging-vaccine-uptake\/","title":{"rendered":"Trusted messengers are key to encouraging vaccine uptake\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Recent reports have highlighted concerns regarding uptake of the covid-19 vaccine in ethnic minority groups, including among healthcare workers.<\/span> Guidance on how to increase covid-19 vaccine uptake among frontline NHS staff<\/span><\/a> suggests one-to-one conversations with line managers as a method of increasing vaccine confidence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Disparities in covid-19 exposures and outcomes have laid bare the effect of racism on health outcomes<\/span><\/a>, with<\/span> a disproportionately higher number of healthcare workers from ethnic minority backgrounds dying from covid-19. <\/span>Labelling people from particular groups as \u201cvaccine hesitant\u201d obviates recognition of this context and risks alienating and stigmatising an already traumatised workforce at high risk of burnout. An individual who needs support to feel well informed and empowered to take the vaccine is often misidentified in the generalisations about whole communities holding vaccine hesitant views.<\/span><\/p>\n

Race concordance has been shown to improve health communication, <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>most effective messengers identified as experts within communities. Outreach on vaccine efforts needs to be led by doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals that are trusted, and reflect the diversity of the workforce. 65% of staff in London North West University NHS Trust are from an ethnic minority background.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In response, we recognised disparities in vaccine uptake within our Trust and built a multidisciplinary and multispecialty group of vaccine advocates, predominantly from Black and Asian backgrounds, to address these issues. Since 26 January 2021, we have held<\/span> regular online \u201cQ&A\u201d webinar sessions with hospital staff in both clinical and non-clinical roles across the Trust. The ethos is to provide a safe and non-judgemental forum to acknowledge the concerns and apprehensions that exist.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, we used a variety of different formats such as <\/span>videos<\/span><\/a>, blogs, and screensavers to address common misconceptions. A <\/span>blog<\/span><\/a> to communicate an individual advocate\u2019s vaccine journey received 2124 hits through the staff intranet. Staff newsletters containing the blog were opened over 25,000 times. Our materials acknowledge that vaccine misinformation is in circulation and provide factual truths in a balanced manner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These practical methods, designed to validate and address concerns, have been well received. In early February 2021, vaccine uptake among staff was 56% overall despite availability of vaccine appointments. As of May 2021, this has increased to 78% among all staff and from 59% to 77% among ethnic minority staff.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Our experience led us to develop a framework for vaccine advocacy that includes:<\/span><\/p>\n