Barrier to pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations in Black elderly communities: mistrust
LeWanza M Harris1, Nancy P Chin, Kevin Fiscella
1Department of Family Medicine, University of Rochester, NY 14620, USA. lewanza_harris@urmc.rochester.edu
Objectives:
To understand the role of trust of medical institutions in the decision by elderly black Americans to receive pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations.
Design:
Cross-sectional, qualitative study, using semistructured in-depth interviews.
Participants:
Twenty black Americans age > or = 65 years from two different socioeconomic groups.
Results:
Six main themes were identified: prevention, vaccine-caused illnesses, vaccines as irrelevant to health, experience with healthcare, self-advocacy and attitudes toward childhood vaccinations. The majority of vaccinated participants viewed vaccines as a preventive measure, while the unvaccinated group viewed vaccines as irrelevant to their health. In addition, the majority of the participants in the unvaccinated group believed vaccines caused illness. Mistrust of medical institutions or the knowledge of the historical medical injustices was not a significant influence in participant's willingness to be vaccinated against pneumococcal or influenza disease.
Conclusion:
Mistrust of medical institutions was not a key concern affecting willingness to be vaccinated in this black community of elderly adults. Participant's willingness to be vaccinated was largely influenced by prior positive or negative experiences with healthcare systems.
Related Concept Videos
01:51Vaccinations
01:30Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed.
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
01:29Pneumonia I: Introduction
01:30Pneumonia I: Introduction
Risk Factors
Various factors influence the likelihood of developing pneumonia. Age plays a crucial role, with infants, children under two, and individuals over 65 at increased risk due to their...
01:25Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...