# Understanding Hesitant Adopters

> **NIH NIH P20** · UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS · 2022 · $50,666

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
COVID-19 has become one of the leading causes of death in the United States (US), and racial and ethnic
minority groups experience higher risks of exposure, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19. Population
immunity through the uptake of a vaccine is critical to stopping the spread of COVID-19; however, racial and
ethnic disparities in vaccine hesitancy raise concerns about whether vaccination programs will further widen
COVID-19 disparities. Minority populations have reported greater hesitancy to get the COVID-19 vaccine, with
some communities of color half as likely to get the COVID-19 vaccine compared to Whites. To reduce
disparities in COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality, we must understand and address racial disparities in
vaccine behavior. The proposed study will utilize a mixed-methods nested-study approach including two steps
of data collection. Data will be collected using random digit dialing to conduct a cell and landline phone survey
of adult Arkansans (N=1800). Then, we will utilize a purposeful/random sample (N=50) drawn from the phone
survey participants who are hesitant adopters (i.e., expressing both hesitancy and having received the COVID-
19 vaccination) for qualitative data collection. The purposeful sample for the qualitative portion will provide rich
qualitative data on hesitant adopters. Both sampling methods will oversample Black/African American and
Hispanic/Latino participants. Our specific aims are: Aim 1. Examine characteristics associated with vaccine
hesitancy/willingness and vaccine behavior (e.g., vaccinated or not) between and within racial/ethnic groups
using quantitative methods (random sample of N=1800) informed by the Increasing Vaccination Model. Aim 2.
Examine the characteristics that distinguish hesitant adopters from hesitant non-adopters using quantitative
methods (random sample of N=1800) informed by the Increasing Vaccination Model. Aim 3. Examine the role
of thoughts and feelings, social processes, motivations and practical issues in the process of becoming
compliant among those who are hesitant and get vaccinated using qualitative methods (purposeful random
sample N= 50) in a nested design informed by the Increasing Vaccination Model. Although there is much
research documenting the problem of vaccine hesitancy and differences in hesitancy based on race and
ethnicity, almost no studies provide information about what might be done about it. Examining those who are
hesitant but are vaccinated is key to better understanding factors which might increase uptake despite
hesitancy. This study will provide new and actionable information that researchers and healthcare providers
can use to create interventions to increase vaccination uptake among the hesitant.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10612289
- **Project number:** 3P20GM103429-21S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS
- **Principal Investigator:** Lawrence E Cornett
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $50,666
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2001-09-30 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10612289

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10612289, Understanding Hesitant Adopters (3P20GM103429-21S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10612289. Licensed CC0.

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