Advice offered on encouraging Black Americans to be vaccinated

Widespread distrust of health care institutions and the government are making the pandemic worse for Black Americans, according to Danielle E.K. Perkins, PhD, RN, a manager at the Sigma Theta Tau International Center for Excellence in Nursing Education. In a commentary in the March issue of the American Journal of Nursing, she described the historical roots of that distrust and recommended steps leaders and institutions can take to encourage Black Americans to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. “A sincere acknowledgment and acceptance of the legitimacy of the concerns and fears associated with health care must be addressed in any messaging and campaigns,” Perkins concluded.