194 Increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake through community engagement: collaborative efforts among Cooperative Extension and Clinical and Translational Science Institutes

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The CDC-funded Program to Alleviate National Disparities in Ethnic and Minority Immunizations in the Community intersects two national networks that transform building trust in communities: Cooperative Extension Systems and Clinical and Translational Science Awardees, with the goal of reducing vaccine hesitancy and increasing vaccine uptake. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: PANDEMIC included North Central Florida; Greater Sacramento, California; Bronx, New York; St. Louis and the Ozarks, Missouri; rural Kentucky; and Minnesota. Our 10 Promising Practices (PPs) focus on the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and health information, with two detailing collaborative efforts to better achieve health equity: PP3) Bringing Services and Vaccines to People Where They Are & PP5) Creating Coalitions with Trusted Neighborhood Partners. CHWs and Extension Educators, trusted community members, work together to deliver culturally/linguistically diverse health messages in plain language in areas of high vaccine hesitancy and bring vaccines to people where they are. All outreach activities are tracked and categorized by PP affiliation. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: From November 2021 – August 2023, PANDEMIC has administered nearly 11,000 COVID-19 vaccines at over 2,500 outreach events. At events, Community Health Workers (CHWs) listen to community members to assess vaccine perceptions and health needs/concerns. We adapt messaging and outreach initiatives to promote vaccination through data analyses that help us understand perceptions. Responses are calculated for the populations of focus (PoF)–Latino/Hispanic, African American/Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander) compared to others (Non-Latino/Hispanic White or unspecified race). Over 16,000 surveys were collected from November 2021 – August 2023 with 60% coming from the PoF. Key differences in perceptions will be shown along with other cross-site metrics. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: PANDEMIC offers an innovative model for collaboration among CTSAs and Cooperative Extension Systems to better understand community perceptions and support vaccination efforts and overall health promotion in communities of greatest need, with a focus on racial and ethnic minority communities and underinsured/uninsured populations.