Special Populations-Black Communities
Black Wisconsin
residents hold the lowest vaccine reception rates in relation to other races in
the state [
1] and have lower vaccination
rates than Black Americans generally [
2]. Sadly,
these statistics coincide with Black residents holding the highest rates of
COVID related hospitalizations in Wisconsin [
3].
Black Americans are disproportionately affected by socioeconomic and health
disparities [
4] created by conscious, unconscious, and
historical racism and segregation [
5]. Further, Black
communities are particularly hesitant towards American medical research and
healthcare due to historic racism and discriminatory practices perpetuated in
such fields [
6]. Ultimately, the distrust that is
enabled by such systemic racism, along with the deleterious effects of
misinformation in Black communities [
7], precludes a
willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. Moreover, vaccine intake in Black
communities is hindered by systemic and structural barriers, such as inadequate
distribution and availability as well as limited access and transportation [
5].
Source: Wisconsin COVID-19 Hospitalization Rates by Race and Ethnicity
Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2022, April 14). COVID-19: Racial and ethnic disparities. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/disparities.htm#disparities
Sources:
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2022, April 14). COVID-19: Vaccine data. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/vaccine-data.htm#summary
- Bentley, D. (2022, March 16). Wisconsin's Black COVID vaccine rate barely trails the U.S. Here's what's being done to turn things around in the state. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2022/03/16/there-many-root-causes-and-factors-play-wisconsins-black-covid-vaccine-rate-trails-u-s-health-offici/9408039002/
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2022, April 14). COVID-19: Racial and ethnic disparities. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/disparities.htm#disparities
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Division of Viral Diseases. (2020, December 10). Introduction to COVID-19 racial and ethnic health disparities. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/racial-ethnic-disparities/index.html
- Laurencin, C.T. (2021). Addressing justified vaccine hesitancy in the black community. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 8, 543-546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-021-01025-4
- Collins-Dexter, B. (2020). Canaries in the coal mine: COVID-19 misinformation and black communities. Technology and Social Change Project, Shorenstein Center, Harvard Kennedy School. https://doi.org/10.37016/TASC-2020-01
Resources