In a qualitative study, 3 main themes emerged as being associated with vaccine hesitancy: mistrust in health care and government, concerns over vaccine safety and long-term effects, and ineffective and coercive vaccine communication and promotion. Participants expressed deep-rooted skepticism stemming from past medical exploitation, fears about rapid vaccine development, and frustration with inadequate and coercive vaccine messaging.
These findings suggest that addressing vaccine hesitancy among Black women requires acknowledging historical traumas, providing transparent safety information, and developing culturally respectful promotion strategies.