For the 2022-2023 flu season, 128.4 million doses of influenza vaccine distributed in the United States. In addition, half of adults in the United States receive a flu vaccine each year. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Black, Hispanic, and Native American/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults were found to be less likely to receive influenza vaccine and more likely to be hospitalized.
Immunization has historically been a point of contention for communities of color, causing hesitation stemming from lack of access and distrust of the health care system.
“Underrepresented minorities are less likely to access health care, so if they don’t have a primary care provider, or if they don’t have health insurance, they may not have access to a vaccine.” Dr. Bonzo Reddicka local physician at JC Lewis Primary Health Care Center.
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“And for those who have access to vaccines, there is sometimes a lot of mistrust in our communities where people don’t trust vaccines. , which is based on a real-life fraud study done by a man in England a few years ago. .”
That systemic injustice and distrust goes back to a series of historical atrocities in which black Americans were mistreated by the U.S. government and healthcare system. Tuskegee Experiment To Henrietta Lux’s Stolen Cellvaccine reluctance is generally overly focused on these unethical practices and other impediments that, beyond disbelief, contribute to inequalities in influenza vaccine uptake.
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The push for COVID vaccines has exacerbated these disparities, leading to a lack of access to health care and insurance, misconceptions such as that flu vaccines can actually cause flu in patients, and an overall disparity from vaccination sites. It came down to distance and so on. Communities of color – and limited public transport.
One thing Reddick learned about getting vaccinated against COVID was that the easier it is for people to get, the more likely they are to get vaccinated. The difference in his willingness to wait in line for several hours in the Civic He center was evident compared to his mobile unit, which took about five minutes to pick up where people were.
Flu vaccination coverage continues to show persistent gaps and racial disparities among adults, which can lead to hospitalization, serious illness and even death. For organ infections, he noted, vaccines can make patients less likely to get the flu or less likely to become ill or die if they get infected.
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“That’s what creates a lot of disparities, and certain communities have higher mortality and hospitalization rates from illnesses like flu and COVID, many of which are related to vaccination. I have a disease, and if I had been vaccinated, I probably wouldn’t have it or get sick as much.”
In addition to educating patients about the benefits of the flu vaccine, Reddick said ensuring physician diversity is also a step toward reducing vaccination inequities.
It has been argued that sharing your racial or cultural background with your doctor can help reduce pain and anxiety and build comfort that promotes better trust and communication in relationships.
“Sometimes people want information, and sometimes they want information from people who are like them. I’m sure there are people who are part of the same community as you, from minority communities, and I trust you.
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Within Chatham County, organizations such as Healthy Savannah, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Savannah Mayor Van Johnson’s Advisory Board are working with Reddick to disseminate information about the importance of vaccination.
With flu season predicted to surge in Georgia, Reddick wants people to be more proactive about getting flu shots.
The deluge of information and education resulting from the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine is a trend he hopes will continue to influence those who get flu shots. Among his own family members and some of his patients, Reddick said that people who had been adamant about not getting the flu vaccine in the past two years, due to a message shared around the world, were getting the COVID vaccine and the flu. I saw that you chose to get the vaccine.
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“I’m cautiously optimistic that more people will learn more about vaccines, be more informed, more people will trust vaccines. We’ll get them.”
Laura Nwogu is a quality of life reporter for the Savannah Morning News. Please contact her at [email protected]. Twitter: @lauranwogu_
