(861) Vaccine Perceptions among Hispanic Pregnant and Lactating Individuals during the COVID-19 Vaccine Introduction

Friday, January 31, 2025

10:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Submitting Author and Presenting Author(s)

Monica Sosa, MD

OB GYN Resident
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States

Coauthor(s)

MP

Mindy Pike, MPH, PhD

University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States
PU

Porshia Underwood, MD

OB GYN Residency Program Director
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States
Carolina Martinez-King, MD

MFM Fellow
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States
RL

Rjika Lottes

University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States
JE

Janet A. Englund, MD

University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States
LE

Linda Eckert, MD

University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States
AK

Alisa B. Kachikis, MD, MSc

Assistant Professor
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States

Objective: To investigate vaccine perceptions and hesitancy of Hispanic pregnant and lactating individuals in the setting of the COVID-19 vaccination implementation.

Study Design: An online prospective cohort study of people who were pregnant, lactating, or planning pregnancy launched in January 2021 shortly after approval of the COVID-19 vaccination. Race and ethnicity data were collected using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey categories. Participants in this IRB-exempt study completed surveys via REDCap online including one on vaccine perceptions. We performed statistical analysis using Chi-square tests and Fisher’s exact tests for categorical variables and t-tests and Wilcoxon rank sum tests for normal and non-normal continuous variables, respectively.

Results: Among the 26,322 participants, 1,618 identified as Hispanic and 24,704 as non-Hispanic. Most participants were well-educated (94.0%) and worked in healthcare (53.0%). Hispanic participants were less likely to gain knowledge about vaccines from physicians compared to non-Hispanic participants (n=1,190, 73.6%; n=19,020, 77.0%; p=0.001) and reported using the internet (n=266, 16.4%; n=3,512, 14.2%; p=0.01), social media (n=105, 6.5%; n=1.201, 4.9%; p=0.003) and radio (n=65, 4.0%; n=763, 3.1%; p=0.04) more than non-Hispanic participants. Compared to non-Hispanics, Hispanics trusted physicians less (p=600, 37.8%; p=10,104, 41.6% p=0.002) and medical literature more (p=366, 23.0%; p=4,696, 19.4%; p=0.002) regarding knowledge on vaccines. On average Hispanic participants reported a lower understanding on which vaccines they and their children should receive (p < 0.001) however no difference noted regarding understanding on how vaccines work or vaccine schedules (p=0.81 and p=0.11, respectively) compared to non-Hispanic participants.

Conclusion: When compared to non-Hispanic people, Hispanic participants report a greater use of non-traditional methods to gain vaccines knowledge and report trusting their physicians less and medical literature more on vaccines.