# Identifying and addressing critical social, ethical, and behavioral factors associated with COVID-19 testing and vaccination among Spanish speakers

> **NIH NIH U01** · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2022 · $570,920

## Abstract

Summary
Latinx communities are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with Spanish-speaking Latinx
communities carrying even heavier burdens of infection, hospitalization, and mortality. Major barriers to
COVID-19 testing and vaccination exist, and a profound need remains to understand and address the social,
ethical, and behavioral implications (SEBI) of COVID-19 testing and vaccination within Latinx communities. Our
well-established community-academic partnership proposes a rigorous mixed-methods, community-based
participatory research (CBPR) study better understand the SEBI of COVID-19 testing and vaccination and to
refine and test a novel and culturally congruent intervention to increase COVID-19 testing and vaccination
within Spanish-speaking Latinx communities.
In Aim 1, we will conduct individual in-depth interviews with health providers and representatives from Latinx-
serving community-based organizations and focus groups with Spanish-speaking Latinx community members
to expand our understanding of the individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and policy factors
influencing COVID-19 testing and vaccination within Spanish-speaking Latinx communities. In Aim 2, we will
integrate findings from other relevant COVID-19 studies and from Aim 1 to refine a Spanish-language
intervention known as NuestraSaludSegura (Our Safe Health) designed to increase COVID-19 testing and
vaccination among Spanish-speaking Latinx persons. NuestraSaludSegura harnesses the complementary
strengths of peer navigation and mHealth. We will also test the intervention using a longitudinal group-
randomized trial design assessing participants at: (1) baseline and (2) immediate post intervention. We
anticipate that participants in the intervention group, relative to their counterparts in the delayed -intervention
group, will demonstrate increased COVID-19 testing and vaccination. In Aim 3, we will develop and
disseminate practice, research, intervention, and policy priorities and recommendations to increase COVID-19
testing and vaccination, reduce COVID-19 disparities, and promote health equity in Spanish-speaking Latinx
communities by conducting an empowerment theory-based community forum.
This CBPR study will advance prevention science and practice through increased understanding of the SEBI of
COVID-19 testing and vaccination and testing an innovative intervention to promote and support COVID-19
testing and vaccination among a particularly underserved and vulnerable population – Spanish-speaking Latinx
communities in the United States.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10446394
- **Project number:** 1U01MD017431-01
- **Recipient organization:** WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Scott D Rhodes
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $570,920
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-01-01 → 2023-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10446394

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10446394, Identifying and addressing critical social, ethical, and behavioral factors associated with COVID-19 testing and vaccination among Spanish speakers (1U01MD017431-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10446394. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*