Kudos to Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda, associate professor, and her entire team for the submission of their Multi-PI project with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) on an NIMHD R01 proposal entitled: “Equitable COVID-19 Vaccination among Black and Latinx communities in North Carolina.” This proposal request funding for a five-year period with a start date of September 1, 2021.

Duke University (School of Nursing, Community and Family Medicine) will be a full partner with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) in carrying out the aims of the study. Gonzalez-Guarda (MPI) will serve as the lead investigator for Duke and is responsible for overseeing the scientific, regulatory, reporting, and engagement of the Duke faculty and staff in the work.

The aims of this project are to: 1) Identify evolving drivers of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and disparities in COVID-19 vaccination access and uptake in underserved communities in NC; and 2) Enhance and test multi-level vaccine interventions for equitable vaccine uptake among Black and Latinx communities in 10 counties in North Carolina. A community engaged, mixed method approach will be taken to address study aims. Multi-sector and stakeholder partnerships between academic institutions, state and local health departments, and community-based coalitions and organizations will work together to conduct surveys (6,000 across the state over six period) and focus group (four focus groups during each period) with a purposive sample of Black and Latinx individuals who have and have not been vaccinated to identify evolving drivers of COVID-19 vaccination uptake (Aim 1). Regions within counties with the highest vaccine inequality index for Black and Latinx communities will received enhanced interventions developed through this study to ensure that state, provider, and community-level strategies promoting COVID-19 access are aligned with the cultural and contextual needs and preferences of these populations (Aim 2). The impact of these tailored approaches in promoting vaccine equity (primary outcome) and vaccine hesitancy, access, and uptake (secondary outcome) will be compared to ongoing efforts being rolled out throughout the pandemic.