ID: 1930
Presenting Author: Omotara Fagbuyi
Session: 566 - Engaging Stakeholders in Adversity: Practices, Pitfalls, and Pathways
Status: pending
This study reveals how trust,cultural memory and digital confidence influenced vaccine decisions among older Black African women,offering insights for targeted communication during future crisis.
Persistent health inequalities during times of crisis remain a global health concern. For Black African women, long-standing experiences of marginalisation including disproportionate maternal mortality have contributed to greater vulnerability in health interventions. This study draws on semi-structured interviews with 40 highly educated women aged 59–77, residing in England and Scotland, to examine how information credibility, source trustworthiness, and digital navigation shaped vaccine decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite high levels of formal education, many participants struggled to interpret conflicting or unclear messages across official sources, social media, and private messaging apps. Findings challenge assumptions that formal education alone ensures informed vaccine choices. Instead, cultural memory, institutional mistrust, and the search for emotional safety significantly shaped how participants evaluated information and assessed risk. Guided by the 5C model of vaccine hesitancy, the research highlights that interpersonal trust, informal networks, and culturally resonant communication often held more sway than institutional messaging. Engagement with misinformation was not passive; rather, it was negotiated through ongoing dialogue, contextual framing, and the perceived credibility of messengers. These insights hold vital implications for pandemic preparedness. Future public health strategies must move beyond content accuracy and platform reach to centre co-designed, culturally embedded, and multi-channel communication models..
Aehavioural insights researcher and strategic communication specialist with 15+ years' cross-sector experience. A PhD in Strategic Communications and expertise in healthcare and public engagement.
Coauthor 1: Sarah Pedersen