Abstract
Background: H-2A farmworkers are disproportionately vulnerable to COVID-19 and understanding their beliefs regarding COVID-19 vaccines is important for public health outreach, yet to date little research has examined the influence of country of origin (COO) on the vaccine beliefs of this uniquely transient population.
Methods: Three focus groups (N=30) were held with H-2A farmworkers in South Georgia to explore their beliefs on COVID-19 vaccines, using thematic analyses to identify COO influences on these beliefs.
Results: Family in COO influenced worker vaccine beliefs through direct advice, commonly held beliefs in COO about harmful government agendas via vaccines increased worker vaccine fears, and responsibilities workers felt towards family in COO during the pandemic influenced their fear levels and vaccine motivation.
Conclusions: By understanding the ways in which COOs influence H-2A farmworkers’ view on COVID-19 vaccines, public health workers can engage in outreach in ways that more fully respond to their concerns and better promote farmworkers’ health and wellbeing.
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Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Scheyett, Anna M.; Bowie, Maria; Brown, Virginia; and Scarrow, Andrea
(2025)
"The Importance of Country of Origin in Vaccine Messaging for H-2A Farmworkers,"
Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association: Vol. 11:
No.
1, Article 3.
DOI: 10.20429/jgpha.2025.11103
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/jgpha/vol11/iss1/3