Abstract
Problem Significance The Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that has caused millions of deaths. Therefore, people are advised to receive a COVID-19 vaccine to increase protection from infection and lessen the severity of COVID-related conditions. Although this is true, vaccine hesitancy remains one of the top 10 threats to global health (US Census Bureau, 2022), disproportionally affecting the farmworker population.
Analysis and Objectives Analysis of this public health problem included using the Health Belief Model to understand perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and effective cues to action. As a result of this analysis, the proposed objectives are to increase the number of vaccinations, increase the rate of COVID-19 confidence, and increase the number of community partnerships to reduce vaccine hesitancy.
Intervention (Solution) Proposal The analysis proves the need for an intervention to persuade farmworkers and their families to receive a vaccination. VaxFW is a multifaceted social marketing campaign that utilizes communication strategies to increase vaccine confidence and the perception of the benefits of vaccination. The intervention includes the development of a health communications toolkit and the implementation of hybrid information sessions in the San Joaquin Valley to provide information to this community.
Recommendations and Conclusions This project addresses COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy by increasing knowledge and resources for farmworkers and their families. The farmworker community intersects with poverty, race/ethnicity, geography, and other societal factors. Therefore, equity must be at the forefront of this campaign; implementing an equitable response to COVID-19 will make the most meaningful impact in this community.