Launching Vaccination Information Series
Asian Media Access is partnering with Minnesota’s state-wide vaccine equity initiative, Project HEALINGS: Health Education and Adult Learning Incorporated with Navigating Government Systems.
Project HEALINGS was created as a HUB to improve the health and wellness of Minnesotans who may be disenfranchised by identity and circumstances, disadvantaged by disparities in healthcare access and health outcomes, and disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Asian Media Access is aware that Limited English Proficiency (LEP) immigrants and refugees lack
access to basic scientific information in a simple and comprehensive language. Communities are
also influenced by cultural norms and specific barriers to health resources. Because the pandemic has created a constant state of emergency, public health messengers have focused on direct approaches , (“Go Get Tested” & “Go Get Vaccinated“) that fail to account for cultural context and implications for BIPOC communities.
With new case numbers in decline, we can reallocate more resources to support health literacy. LEP communities will benefit from basic information explaining what vaccines are, how they are created and approved by FDA, and how COVID-19 virus mutated. It is important to pair this information with key messages about how cultural and social determinants impact COVID-19 infection rates among BIPOC communities.
AMA has teamed up with Chinese American Chamber of Commerce – MN, and with Spitfire, a communications firm specializing in health education, to create a COVID information series. The series will comprise 6 educational articles to counter vaccination disinformation and recognize important community values and barriers related to COVID vaccination. AMA is engaging LEP members along every step of the way in order to build collective action for broadening health literacy and a better framework for mitigating future public health crises.
Following is our 1st article – “What are vaccines?” we welcome your feedback and partnership on mindfully addressing the complex health challenges of vaccination hesitancy. Together, we can peel away the layers of mistrust and inequity.