To establish the efficacy of a community-based POL (Popular Opinion Leader) interventionwith two different trainings designed to increase COVID-19 vaccine and booster uptake andreduce hesitancy among social networks of Black individuals with rheumatic conditions.The investigators will also determine the structure and composition of the personal andoutreach social networks of POLs.
Through community-academic partnerships in Boston and Chicago, investigators will recruit
and randomly assign POLs who identify as Black with rheumatic conditions to two training
arms in each city. Arms 1 and 2 will receive the same core curriculum addressing COVID-19
vaccine hesitancy, safety and efficacy. POLs will work in their communities to
distributed information they learned in the trainings to members of their social network.
The investigators will gather information about these social networks, assessing for
differences in characteristics such as size, location, and who is in it (percentage of
family, percentage Black, percentage with rheumatic conditions).
Behavioral: COVID-19 vaccine and booster training, and importance
COVID-19 vaccine and booster information training
Inclusion Criteria:
POLs:
18-85 years old; All genders; English-speaking; Self-identify as Black and/or African
descent; Received ≥1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine after 8.31.2022 (bivalent booster or
updated COVID-19 vaccine [2023-2024] formula)
Social network members:
At least 18 years of age; All genders; English-speaking or Haitian Creole or
Spanish-speaking if the POL also speaks Haitian Creole or Spanish; Not have received the
updated COVID-19 vaccine 2023-2024 formula; Recent (within 3 months) COVID-19 infection
and either undecided or no intention of receiving the vaccine.
Exclusion Criteria:
Both POLs and social network members:
Under 18 years of age Pregnant women Institutionalized or incarcerated Those who are up
to date on COVID vaccinations
Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Investigator: Rosalind Ramsey-Goldman
Contact: 312-503-0542
rgramsey@northwestern.edu
Neil Pillai, MS
312.503.3904
neil.pillai@northwestern.edu
Komel Safdar, MPH
312.503.0251
komel.safdar@northwestern.edu
Rosalind Ramsey-Goldman, MD, DrPH, Principal Investigator
Northwestern University