Abstract

Purpose In response to disparities in COVID-19 vaccine uptake in urban environments, we ascertained whether a community-engaged evaluation could rapidly determine why unvaccinated Chicago residents were hesitant to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Approach The assessment used a mixed-methods approach, grounded in community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles. Setting Interviews were conducted by community partners between April and May 2022 in Chicago, in-person and via phone. Participants A purposive sample of Chicagoans (n = 456), who were: (1) adults (≥18 years); (2) living in priority areas in Chicago heavily impacted by COVID-19; (3) who spoke English or Spanish; and (4) had not received the COVID-19 vaccine. Method A transdisciplinary academic-community team co-developed an assessment tool. Members of Chicago’s Community Health Response Corps (CHRC) (N = 115) interviewed participants, using a 46-item survey in Qualtrics. Interviews were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative software, including Dedoose for coding and SAS for descriptive statistics. Results Over half of all respondents were not concerned about getting COVID-19. Respondents voiced concerns about side effects (36%), vaccine safety (27%), and trust in governmental institutions, given historical events involving unethical research. Participants also reported other social needs (e.g., food or housing insecurity) that made COVID-19 a lower priority. Conclusion The collaborative research approach highlighted issues of trust, concerns about side effects and vaccine safety, issues that have informed vaccine messaging.