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Gender, Age and COVID-19 Vaccination Status in African American Adult Faith-Based Congregants in the Southeastern United States

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Abstract

Objectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed significant differences in COVID-19 vaccination rates, with African Americans reporting lower rates compared to other racial and ethnic groups. The purpose of these analyses was to assess whether COVID-19 vaccination status differed according to age in a sample of 1,240 African American adult congregants of faith-based organizations ages 18 years or older, and to examine whether this association was moderated by gender.

Design

We developed and administered a 75-item cross-sectional survey, the Triad Pastor’s Network COVID-19 and COVID-19 Vaccination survey, to assess experiences and perceptions regarding the COVID-19 virus and vaccines. We assessed the association between age and having received > 1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine using unadjusted and multivariable binary logistic regression models, and the interaction of age and gender with COVID-19 vaccination status in a multivariable model.

Results

Approximately 86% of participants reported having received ≥ 1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The mean age (standard deviation) of the sample was 51.33 (16.62) years, and 70.9% of the sample was comprised of women. The age by gender interaction term in the multivariable model was significant (p = 0.005), prompting additional analyses stratified by gender. In women, increased age was significantly associated with higher odds of COVID-19 vaccination (odds ratio = 1.09; 95% Confidence Interval 1.06, 1.11; p < 0.001). In men, the association was not significant (p = 0.44).

Conclusions

Older age was positively associated with COVID-19 vaccination in African American women, but not African American men, which may inform strategies to increase vaccination rates.

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Data Availability

Data and materials from this research are available contingent upon approval of Principal Investigator Goldie S. Byrd, Ph.D.

Code Availability

Code from this research is available contingent upon approval of Principal Investigator Goldie S. Byrd, Ph.D.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support of several individuals. First, the authors thank the respondents to the survey, who dedicated their time to share their experiences and perceptions. Also, the authors thank the members of the Triad Pastors Network Ecclesiastical Council, who informed their congregants of the opportunity to participate in this project. We also thank several MACHE team members who provided technical assistance for this project, including Mr. Jarrell Clark, Ms. Dorey Thomas, Ms. Sarah Langdon, Ms. LaToya Yarber, and Ms. Shelby Henderson.

Funding

This research was funded by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill [Increasing Trustworthiness through Engaged Action and Mobilization (I-TEAM), 1OT2HL156812-01], Westat, Inc.(#6793–02-S010), Research Triangle Institute (#17–312-0217571-66099L), and National Institutes of Health (NIH)/ National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI; OTA-20-011B) NC Community-Engagement Research Alliance Against COVID-19 in Disproportionately Affected Communities (CEAL), NIH CEAL Alliance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA

    Capri G. Foy, Shawnta L. Lloyd, Kelvin L. Williams, TanYa M. Gwathmey, Allison Caban-Holt, Takiyah D. Starks, Doreen R. Fortune, LaDrea R. Ingram & Goldie S. Byrd

  2. Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA

    Capri G. Foy & Goldie S. Byrd

  3. Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Claude D. Pepper Older Adults Independence Center, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA

    Kelvin L. Williams

  4. Hypertension and Vascular Research, Cardiovascular Sciences Center, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA

    TanYa M. Gwathmey

  5. Yale School of Public Health, Social Behavioral Sciences, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA

    LaDrea R. Ingram

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  1. Capri G. Foy
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Correspondence to Capri G. Foy.

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Foy, C.G., Lloyd, S.L., Williams, K.L. et al. Gender, Age and COVID-19 Vaccination Status in African American Adult Faith-Based Congregants in the Southeastern United States. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-023-01744-w

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