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Song MY, Blake-Hepburn D, Karbasi A, Fadel SA, Allin S, Ataullahjan A, Ruggiero ED. Public health partnerships with faith-based organizations to support vaccination uptake among minoritized communities: A scoping review. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002765. [PMID: 38837963 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Faith-based vaccine initiatives are of growing interest to public health agencies who are looking to increase vaccine confidence among ethnoracially minoritized populations. Despite evidence that support faith-based organizations' (FBOs) partnerships with public health agencies (PHAs) to increase vaccine confidence, reviews on the scope and efforts to ensure equitable vaccination delivery for ethnoracially minoritized populations are scarce. We aimed to understand how public health agencies collaborate with FBOs or faith communities to improve vaccine confidence among minoritized communities in high-, low- and middle- income countries. We conducted a scoping review by searching OVID MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), SCOPUS, and PROQUEST from 2011 to 2023. We included case studies, news reports, observational studies, experimental, and quasi-experimental studies and multimedia content that describes PHA-FBO partnerships that created vaccine initiatives for marginalized and minoritized communities. The data was extracted, summarized, and results were described narratively. We included 167 initiatives reported in 160 publications; 83.8% of the included articles were published between 2019 to 2023. The interventions carried out by PHA-FBO partnerships attempted to increase vaccine uptake using any or all the following methods. First, the initiatives provided digital and in-person platforms for interfaith learning and established training programs to empower faith leaders to become vaccine ambassadors. Second, the initiatives designed and disseminated education and awareness materials that aimed to be sensitive to religious and gender norms. Third, PHA-FBO partnered to apply equity and faith-based frameworks and provided wrap-around support to enable equitable vaccine access. Majority of the initiatives reported that PHA-FBO partnerships improved vaccine confidence and uptake (71.3%). About 22.2% of the initiatives reported quantitative outcomes post-intervention. PHA-FBO initiatives over the past decade increased vaccine uptake and acceptance among diverse ethnoracially minoritized populations. Reporting of faith-based initiatives are subject to publication bias and can be strengthened by examining more evaluation studies and establishment of key outcome indicators to critically appraise intervention outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melodie Yunju Song
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Anna Karbasi
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Shaza A Fadel
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Clinical Public Health Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sara Allin
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anushka Ataullahjan
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- School of Health Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Erica Di Ruggiero
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Social and Behavioural Health Sciences Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Taragin-Zeller L, Berenblum T, Brasil E, Rozenblum Y, Baram-Tsabari A. Religious diversity and public health: Lessons from COVID-19. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290107. [PMID: 37619233 PMCID: PMC10449469 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Scholars have identified a range of variables that predict public health compliance during COVID-19, including: psychological, institutional and situational variables as well as demographic characteristics, such as gender, location and age. In this paper, we argue that religious affiliation is also a clear predictor for compliance with public health guidelines. Based on a sample representative survey (N = 800) of Haredi Jews in Israel, we found that Haredi Jews mostly followed COVID-19 health regulations. Among the respondents who were non-compliant, however, we found large divergences which mostly reflected religious affiliation. While members of Lithuanian and Sephardi communities reported following guidelines, Hasidim, a more charismatic sub-group, were 12% and 14% more likely to flout public health guidelines than their Lithuanian and Sephardi counterparts, respectively. Despite this inner diversity, all Haredim were portrayed in Israeli media as one homogeneous group that was blamed for flouting public health guidelines and spreading COVID-19. Based on these findings, we argue for the importance of public health messaging that attends to diverse aspects of religious dogma, practice and observance by creating partnerships and sustainable relationships between different actors and stakeholders. In addition, we found that compliance was also shaped by knowledge about COVID-19 and public concern. Taking these findings together, health communication that acknowledges religious diversity while providing critical knowledge about the pandemic is key to developing and implementing community-focused interventions and public health programs. Practically, these insights help to improve pandemic governance as well as contributing theoretically to the study of public health relations and religion by highlighting how discourses around health vary and how differently positioned actors shape representations of responsiveness and health compliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Taragin-Zeller
- Federmann School of Public Policy and Governance and the Program in Cultural Studies, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | | | | | - Yael Rozenblum
- Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ayelet Baram-Tsabari
- Faculty of Education in Science and Technology, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
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Soni GK, Bhatnagar A, Gupta A, Kumari A, Arora S, Seth S, Rastogi A, Kanagat N, Fields R. Engaging Faith-Based Organizations for Promoting the Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccine in India: A Case Study of a Multi-Faith Society. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11040837. [PMID: 37112749 PMCID: PMC10140837 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11040837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass vaccination, currently the most promising solution to contain communicable diseases, including COVID-19 requires collaboration between a variety of partners to improve the supply and demand and alleviate vaccine inequity. Vaccine hesitancy features in WHO's list of top 10 threats to global health, and there is plethora of disinformation instigating conflict between COVID-19 vaccination drive and religious sentiments. Negotiating public health partnerships with FBOs (Faith Based Organizations) has always been challenging. A handful of faith leaders have always shown resistance to ideas such as child immunization, and family planning. Many others have been supportive on other fronts like helping people with food, shelter, and medical aid in the times of public health crisis. Religion is an important part of life for the majority of the Indian population. People confide in faith-based leaders in the times of difficulty. This article presents experiences from the strategic engagement with FBOs (entities dedicated to specific religious identities, often including a social or moral component) to promote uptake of COVID-19 vaccination, especially among the vulnerable and marginalized communities. The project team collaborated with 18 FBOs and more than 400 religious institutions to promote COVID-19 vaccination and build confidence for the vaccination program. As a result, a sustainable network of sensitized FBOs from diverse faiths was created. The FBOs mobilized and facilitated vaccination of 0.41 million beneficiaries under the project.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopal Krishna Soni
- John Snow India Pvt. Ltd. (JSIPL)-Plot No. 5 & 6, First Floor Allied House, Pocket 10, Sector B, Vasant Kunj, Delhi 110070, India
| | - Anumegha Bhatnagar
- John Snow India Pvt. Ltd. (JSIPL)-Plot No. 5 & 6, First Floor Allied House, Pocket 10, Sector B, Vasant Kunj, Delhi 110070, India
| | - Anil Gupta
- John Snow India Pvt. Ltd. (JSIPL)-Plot No. 5 & 6, First Floor Allied House, Pocket 10, Sector B, Vasant Kunj, Delhi 110070, India
| | - Amrita Kumari
- John Snow India Pvt. Ltd. (JSIPL)-Plot No. 5 & 6, First Floor Allied House, Pocket 10, Sector B, Vasant Kunj, Delhi 110070, India
| | - Sonal Arora
- John Snow India Pvt. Ltd. (JSIPL)-Plot No. 5 & 6, First Floor Allied House, Pocket 10, Sector B, Vasant Kunj, Delhi 110070, India
| | - Surbhi Seth
- John Snow India Pvt. Ltd. (JSIPL)-Plot No. 5 & 6, First Floor Allied House, Pocket 10, Sector B, Vasant Kunj, Delhi 110070, India
| | - Apurva Rastogi
- John Snow India Pvt. Ltd. (JSIPL)-Plot No. 5 & 6, First Floor Allied House, Pocket 10, Sector B, Vasant Kunj, Delhi 110070, India
| | - Natasha Kanagat
- John Snow Inc., 2733 Crystal Drive, 4th Floor, Arlington, VA 22202, USA
| | - Rebecca Fields
- John Snow Inc., 2733 Crystal Drive, 4th Floor, Arlington, VA 22202, USA
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Pandemic Disruptions of Older Adults’ Meaningful Connections: Linking Spirituality and Religion to Suffering and Resilience. RELIGIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rel13070622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the lives of persons of all ages throughout the world. Older adults have been particularly susceptible to the virus and have died at higher rates than any other age group. Starting from the early days of the pandemic, gerontologists rallied to address a wide variety of issues affecting older people’s lives. This paper reviews gerontological research that began shortly after the pandemic was declared and examines how a model of meaningful connectedness undergirding spiritual and religious experiences sheds light on the suffering and the resilience of older people during the pandemic. It notes that despite over four decades of research on the role of religion and spirituality in older people’s lives, there has been little mention in major gerontology journals of the role of elders’ religiousness and spirituality in their responses to the pandemic. The paper concludes with a call for gerontologists to pay closer attention to elder religiousness and spirituality and the many questions that need to be addressed regarding older people’s experiences during the pandemic.
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Levin J, Bradshaw M. Determinants of COVID-19 skepticism and SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy: findings from a national population survey of U.S. adults. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1047. [PMID: 35614396 PMCID: PMC9132354 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13477-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The enduring presence of COVID-19 skepticism and SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy is an ongoing impediment to the global response effort to the current pandemic. This study seeks to identify determinants of skepticism and vaccine hesitancy in U.S. adults. METHODS Data are from the Values and Beliefs of the American Public Survey, conducted in 2021 by the Gallup Organization in conjunction with Baylor University. The survey used stratified random probability sampling of the U.S. adult population (N = 1222). Outcome measures were respective single items assessing COVID-19 skepticism and SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy. Exposure variables included political, religious, and sociodemographic indicators, and moderators assessed personal history of COVID-19 and losing a relative or close friend to COVID-19. RESULTS Skepticism and vaccine hesitancy were strongly associated with conservative and Republican political preference and conservative religious beliefs, and less so with socioeconomic status. Personal experience with COVID-19 did not mitigate the effect of politics on skepticism and barely reduced the odds for hesitancy. Results confirm that attitudes toward COVID-19 are politically and religiously conditioned, and are especially a product of conservative political preference. CONCLUSION Skepticism about COVID-19 and hesitancy regarding SARS-CoV-2 vaccination are highest among the political and religious right. Efforts to increase immunization through public education may be inadequate; resistance appears ideological. Other solutions may need to be considered, which risk widespread pushback both politically and religiously motivated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Levin
- Baylor University, One Bear Place # 97236, Waco, TX, 76798, USA.
| | - Matt Bradshaw
- Baylor University, One Bear Place # 97236, Waco, TX, 76798, USA
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