Social, Ethical, and Behavioral Implications Research on COVID-19: Testing and Vaccine Uptake Among Rural Latino Migrants in Southwest Florida

Background: In Southwest Florida, the Hispanic Services Council (HSC) trained local promotoras de salud (community health workers) to reach underserved Latino immigrant families. This study built on partnerships with the HSC and promotoras to collect data using mixed methods to assess healthcare, social, economic, and contextual factors that influenced the ability and willingness to get tested for COVID-19 and/or vaccinated.

Materials/Methods: The methodology consisted of interviews, focus groups, and surveys of underserved Latino immigrant families in Southwest Florida to collect data on the barriers that affected COVID-19 testing and vaccine uptake at individual, interpersonal, institutional (e.g., health care system), and community levels, and inform development of intervention strategies to increase access and acceptability of testing and vaccine behaviors in rural Latino groups.

Outcome/Impact: The findings guided products, including community education and population-specific marketing strategies, to improve testing and vaccination uptake. Recommendations for improving future pandemic responses for rural Latino communities included incorporating multiple levels of intervention, such as consideration of the role of the family, involving trusted community members, and ensuring the development and implementation of fair and consistent policies.