RADx-UP Supplement-Vaccine Hesitancy and Uptake

The Georgia Center for Diabetes Translation Research Center (P30DK111024) proposed to collaborate with the RADx-UP Diabetes rural community partner and utilized locally developed and tested Georgia CEAL (1OT2HL156812-01/16-312-0217571-66105L) COVID-19 communication materials to enhance COVID-19 testing in addition to vaccine confidence and uptake in underserved populations most severely affected by COVID-19 disease (i.e., African Americans and Latinos with diabetes, prediabetes, and their household contacts ("bubble). The 1-year project implemented and evaluated a brief Community Health Worker (CHW) intervention through the Albany Area Primary Health Care, a rural Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). The primary goal of this study was to maximize effective outreach, education, and communication through CHWs in order to facilitate improved COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake in underserved and vulnerable communities. CHWs were deployed to the homes of adults with increased risk of morbidity and mortality (i.e., African Americans or Latinos with uncontrolled diabetes or prediabetes, age <50 years, and non-COVID-19 vaccinated) in order to educate them about diabetes, COVID-19 and related vaccines. Health assessments, including blood glucose measurement, were conducted on the indexed patient and offered to all other adult family members in the household (i.e., "bubble"). Adults with Type 2 diabetes likely live in households with other adults who have or are at increased risk for diabetes (i.e., prediabetes and obesity). It was expected that they would also share similar COVID-19 exposure risk. The specific aims were to: 1) Evaluate a community-driven education program to increase and enhance COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake in individuals with uncontrolled diabetes and their families (i.e., their "bubble") and 2) Evaluate a community-driven education program to improve diabetes self-management behaviors and related outcomes (e.g., blood glucose) in individuals with uncontrolled diabetes in rural, Southwest Georgia.