Research Project
10447915
Abstract People with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at increased risk of COVID-19 complications due to underlying immunosuppression and comorbidities and thus can significantly benefit from COVID-19 vaccination. People with HIV (PWH) are also more likely to belong to racial/ethnic minorities that have been disproportionately burdened by the COVID-19 pandemic and are currently underrepresented among vaccinated individuals. The objective of this study is to identify points of intervention to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake among African American, Hispanic, and Haitian PWH. To achieve this objective, we will conduct a mixed methods study involving a sample of 129 Hispanics, 116 African Americans and 53 Haitians with HIV who were previously interviewed from October 2020 to January 2021 about the effect of the COVID- 19 pandemic on their health and wellbeing and their HIV care (Wave 1). The current supplement (Wave 2) will extend the previous study by determining COVID-19 vaccine uptake and factors associated with vaccine uptake. The survey questions will collect quantitative data about factors associated with vaccination using both the Health Belief Model (e.g., perceived susceptibility to COVID-19, perceived severity of COVID-19, perceived barriers and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination, and cues to action) and the Social Ecological Model (i.e., potential intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community/institutional-level factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine uptake). Data from the survey will also be used to identify the extent to which COVID-19 vaccination improves psychosocial (e.g., COVID-19 related worry) and socioeconomic (e.g., reduced income) stressors. Furthermore, we will conduct exploratory analyses to assess the association between vaccination and retention in HIV care and viral suppression. Subsequently, we will ask a sample of vaccinated and unvaccinated survey respondents to participate in semi-structured in-depth interviews to clarify quantitative findings and identify points of intervention. Findings from this study will guide vaccination promotion messages for racial/ethnic minorities with HIV, guide vaccination delivery methods (e.g., vaccination in HIV care settings), and elucidate the potential role of COVID-19 vaccination in improving the health and wellbeing of people with HIV.
