Open Access Peer-reviewed Research Article

Bridging the gap: Political engagement and trust as mediators of racial health inequities and vaccine reluctance

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Submitted   Aug 16, 2024
Published   Oct 15, 2024
Issue    Vol 7 No 1 (2024)
DOI   10.25082/AHB.2024.01.001

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Florent Nkouaga corresponding author
National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), Kansas City, MO, USA

Abstract

This paper investigates how political engagement and trust can reduce health disparities in the context of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. It posits that active participation in the political process and trust in political institutions enable communities, especially marginalized ones, to advocate for equitable health policies, leading to more inclusive healthcare services. The study employs a multidisciplinary approach to understand how politics influence individual and collective health behaviors and decision-making. The research uses t-tests and logistic regression to analyze the relationship between political factors (like interest and participation) and trust in political and federal systems on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The t-test examines disparities in vaccine hesitancy across racial groups, revealing significant differences and emphasizing the impact of race on health behaviors. Logistic regression, controlling for variables such as partisanship and media influence, further explores these relationships, showing a consistent negative correlation between trust in federal institutions and vaccine hesitancy across racial groups. The study also finds that this correlation varies by race, with trust in the political system and political participation influencing vaccine hesitancy to different degrees among racial groups. These findings underscore the complex interplay between political engagement, trust, and health behaviors, highlighting the role of politics in shaping public health outcomes.

Keywords
health service acceptance, political engagement, political trust, vaccine hesitancy, health disparities, COVID-19

Article Details

How to Cite
Nkouaga, F. (2024). Bridging the gap: Political engagement and trust as mediators of racial health inequities and vaccine reluctance. Advances in Health and Behavior, 7(1), 281-301. https://doi.org/10.25082/AHB.2024.01.001
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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