Sociocultural factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination status among Recent Latino Immigrants

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected Latino/a communities in the U.S., with limited research on vulnerable subgroups like recent Latino/a immigrants (RLIs). RLIs encounter various challenges including employment instability, healthcare access issues, limited social support, language barriers, and fears tied to immigration status, potentially hindering COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. This study, utilizing cross-sectional data from an NIH-funded project, examines COVID-19 vaccination status among RLIs who migrated to South Florida ~ 3 years prior. An eco-developmental framework is applied to analyze associations between sociocultural factors and vaccination status using hierarchical multiple logistic regression models. The sample comprised of 325 RLIs (43.4% females; M age = 27.4; SD = 5.09), of which approximately 72% received COVID-19 vaccinations. Seeking COVID-19 information from family/friends correlated with lower vaccination likelihood (aOR = 0.35, 95% CI: [0.14, 0.83], p = .018). Conversely, relying on religious coping moderately or significantly increased vaccination likelihood (aOR = 2.60, 95% CI: [1.02, 6.57], p = .046), as did experiencing COVID-19 related stigma (aOR = 6.04, 95% CI: [2.00, 18.21], p = .001) and adhering to traditional gender norms (aOR = 1.51, 95% CI: [1.03, 2.21], p = .034). Additionally, demographic factors such as immigration status and country of origin correlated with vaccination status. Findings from the present study allows us to understand the impact of sociocultural factors on vaccination status among young adult RLIs and is critical to informing culturally relevant public health efforts aimed at reducing COVID-19-related health inequities.