Abstract

Purpose: This paper summarizes and analyzes education and training of Latino Community Health Advocates (CHAs) to advance Latino community COVID-19 vaccination rates in Omaha, Nebraska, as a subpart of a larger project for the general population.

Methods: A Latino-customized and culturally sensitive curriculum was implemented, materials in Spanish. Key project goals were enhancing vaccination acceptance and rates. To achieve these goals, activities included CHA-to-community communications about testing and vaccination sites, food banks, and mental health services. CHAs also presented in Latino town hall meetings.

Results: In 2021, 65 CHAs were educated and trained; 6 were Latino. Training topics included basic vaccine science, vaccine timelines, myth corrections, and CDC Guidelines for preventing COVID-19 transmission. Of 1,333 CHA-to-community educational encounters reaching 5,989 people, 108 encounters involved Latino residents. Diverse media strategies included some 3,600 advertising messages and promotional contacts. Two Latino town hall meetings were among the project's total of 12 sessions. Latino reasons for vaccine hesitancy included immigration documentation status, perceived costs, religious and cultural norms, and distrust of healthcare providers and science.

Conclusion: Culturally specific education and training of Latino CHAs was essential. Latino CHAs encouraged vaccinations through virtual town hall meetings and in-person encounters. Project pre-planning should include community-adapted data management and evaluation processes. Latinos favored Facebook participation for town halls. Since post program evaluation omitted Facebook, outcome evaluations were incomplete. A team technology approach should fit Latino technological availability, capability, and preferences. Before project design and implementation, project planners must collaborate with Latino community leaders when possible. Impact evaluation should assess vaccination rates due to CHA encounters, town hall attendance, and other communications.