I select the topic of racial and ethnic disparities in contraction rate or access to the vaccine as it is a relevant and important topic related to the COVID pandemic.

Trustworthy sources

Here are three scholarly or otherwise trustworthy sources on the topic of racial and ethnic disparities in contraction rate or access to the vaccine:

• COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage, by Race and Ethnicity — National Immunization Survey Adult COVID Module, United States, December 2020–November 2021 (MMWR) This report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides data on COVID-19 vaccination coverage by race and ethnicity in the United States. The report shows that Black and Hispanic adults have lower vaccination rates than White adults.

• Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage: The Contribution of Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors (PLOS ONE) This study, published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE, examines the factors that contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage. The study finds that socioeconomic factors, such as income and education, play a significant role in these disparities.

• Racial and Ethnic Disparities in COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage: A Mediation Framework (Vaccine) This study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Vaccine, develops a mediation framework to explain racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage. The study finds that vaccine hesitancy and lack of access to vaccination services are key factors that mediate these disparities.

I justify my use of these sources because they are all reliable and credible sources of information on the topic of racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage. The MMWR report is a government publication from the CDC, which is a trusted source of public health information. The PLOS ONE and Vaccine studies are both peer-reviewed studies, which means that they have been reviewed by other experts in the field and found to be methodologically sound and scientifically valid.

These sources help me understand the problem of racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage by providing me with data on the extent of the disparities, identifying the factors that contribute to the disparities, and explaining how the disparities might be addressed.

Interdisciplinary perspective

An interdisciplinary approach to addressing racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage might involve drawing on insights from a variety of fields, including public health, medicine, sociology, economics, and political science.

For example, public health experts could help to identify the communities that are most affected by disparities in vaccination coverage and develop targeted interventions to reach these communities. Medical experts could help to address vaccine hesitancy and provide education about the benefits of vaccination. Sociologists could help to understand the social and cultural factors that contribute to disparities in vaccination coverage. Economists could help to identify and address the economic barriers that prevent people from getting vaccinated. Political scientists could help to advocate for policies that promote equity in vaccine access and distribution.

An interdisciplinary approach might also involve collaboration between different stakeholders, such as government agencies, community organizations, and healthcare providers. By working together, these stakeholders can develop and implement comprehensive interventions to address racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage.

Conclusion

Racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage are a serious public health problem. An interdisciplinary approach is needed to address this problem and ensure that everyone has equitable access to vaccination.

Here are some specific examples of how an interdisciplinary approach might be used to address racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage:

• A public health researcher might collaborate with a sociologist to study the social and cultural factors that contribute to vaccine hesitancy in Black and Hispanic communities. The researcher might then use this information to develop a targeted intervention to address vaccine hesitancy in these communities.
• A medical doctor might collaborate with an economist to identify and address the economic barriers that prevent people from getting vaccinated. For example, the doctor and economist might develop a program to provide financial assistance to people who need help paying for transportation to a vaccination site.
• A political scientist might collaborate with a community organization to advocate for policies that promote equity in vaccine access and distribution. For example, the scientist and community organization might advocate for the establishment of mobile vaccination clinics in underserved communities.

By working together, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers can develop and implement comprehensive interventions to address racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccination coverage and ensure that everyone has equitable access to vaccination.