ABSTRACT
Research examining whether intentions to get a COVID-19 vaccine change over time is scarce. Moreover, the deep and pervasive history of medical racism in the U.S. has created a context in which some racial and ethnic groups exhibit greater levels of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy; yet few researchers have attempted to determine whether these patterns persist with time. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a.) assess the role of time in COVID-19 vaccine intentions from April 2020 to January 2021, and (b.) examine whether race and ethnicity shape COVID-19 vaccine intention trajectories. Data were drawn from 9 waves of the Understanding America Study (n = 5023), a national probability panel study of U.S. adults. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to assess overall COVID-19 vaccine intention trajectories and trajectories by race and ethnicity. Results demonstrate intentions to get a COVID-19 vaccine significantly decreased from April 2020 to November 2020, but by January 2021, intentions to get a COVID-19 vaccine slightly increased. Findings also show trajectories significantly differed by racial and ethnic background. Asian/Pacific Islanders had the highest probability of likely getting a COVID-19 vaccine at baseline, followed by Whites and Latina/os. Black Americans exhibited the lowest probability of likely getting vaccinated, and, in most cases, the gap between Black Americans and other racial groups grew over time. Key findings from this study demonstrate that, among U.S. adults, time and race and ethnicity play significant roles in COVID-19 vaccine intentions. Understanding the role of time and race and racism in shaping COVID-19 vaccine intention trajectories can help government agencies and public health experts tasked with administrating vaccines better understand disparities in vaccine uptake.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Mask wearing has been shown to be an effective strategy for slowing the spread of COVID-19. While early studies have uncovered some evidence of racial and ethnic differences in mask-wearing behavior, critical gaps remain. We begin to address these gaps by (1) more comprehensively investigating the role of race and ethnicity on mask wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) examining whether gender intersects with race and ethnicity to differently influence mask-wearing patterns. METHODS: Data were drawn from the COVID-19 Impact Survey, a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey of adults living in the U.S. Data were pooled from three time points that ranged from late April 2020 to early June 2020. The final analytic sample consisted of 4688 non-institutionalized adults living in the U.S. A series of logistic regression models with robust standard errors were used to estimate differences in mask-wearing patterns. RESULTS: Compared with White respondents, results revealed Black, Latina/o, and Asian respondents were more likely to report wearing a mask in response to the coronavirus. Moreover, results show White men were least likely to wear a mask from late April 2020 to early June 2020. CONCLUSION: Overall, findings demonstrate mask-wearing patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic are differently shaped by racial and ethnic background and gender. Findings from this study can inform targeted strategies designed to increase mask-wearing adherence among U.S. adults.