Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

January 19, 2021

Black-White Disparities in 2009 H1N1 Vaccination among Adults in the United States: A Cautionary Tale for the COVID-19 Pandemic

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National US survey data (n=45,000) show disparities in beliefs about the safety and efficacy of the H1N1 influenza vaccine across sex and race, which the authors suggest could be relevant for the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. While H1N1 vaccine uptake was low across groups, Black respondents were more likely than white respondents to express safety and efficacy concerns about the vaccine. Disparities in beliefs were consistent with vaccination rates, with vaccination rates highest among white females (28%), followed by white males (26%), Black males (22%), and Black females (18%). In particular, Black women experienced 35–45% lower odds of vaccination than white women. The authors caution that like the H1N1 vaccine, uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine could be lower among Black Americans.

Burger et al. (Jan 11, 2021). Black-White Disparities in 2009 H1N1 Vaccination among Adults in the United States: A Cautionary Tale for the COVID-19 Pandemic. Vaccine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.12.069