An Ecological Theory Application and Expansion to the COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact on African Americans and Contributors to Vaccine Hesitancy

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted numerous social and health disparities within the United States, particularly those that impact African Americans. African Americans have been overrepresented in the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths and have demonstrated lower vaccine inoculation compared to other ethnic groups. This article applies Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory to the disproportionate impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on African Americans and contributors to vaccine hesitancy while offering an expansion to the theory utilizing the Health Belief Model. The Health Belief Model was utilized to address the intervention limitations of the Ecological Theory as the better determine which system(s) would be most advantageous to for health intervention(s). This article extends the social work knowledge base and application by offering implications for practice and research.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID
• Health Disparities
• African American
• Ecological
• Vaccine

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Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.