153 Adapting Motivational Interviewing for Vaccine Hesitancy in Underserved Communities

Abstract

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: To adapt and evaluate motivational interviewing (MI) as a tool for better understanding the beliefs that underlie vaccine hesitancy and effectively respond to these beliefs with emphasis on reaching underserved communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Our group reviewed the principals for motivational interviewing, rationale for vaccination, and likely beliefs underlying hesitancy and developed a guide for MI to address vaccine hesitancy. We recruited lay members of Black and Hispanic communities in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. 90-minute zoom facilitator training sessions included didactic material, questions and discussion, and role playing. We were not successful recruiting unvaccinated individuals to provide written consent to be followed re vaccination status. Facilitators indicated incorporating MI in their job-related and informal interactions. Surveys were developed to obtain feedback regarding beliefs underlying hesitancy, perceptions of MI effectiveness, and more recently (Oct 2022), evolving concerns regarding the pandemic. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: 67% of facilitators were Black, their average age was 39 years, and 67% had at least a high school education. All had received a COVID-19 vaccination. 82% endorsed utilizing MI in discussions receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. 46% of the facilitators endorsed that MI was moderately effective (46%) in clarifying objections and very effective (50%) in persuading friends, family, and co-workers to consider getting vaccinated. The most common elicited objections to the vaccine were side-effects (21%) and beliefs in government conspiracies (21%). In the second survey respondents indicated receiving another booster followed by getting their children vaccinated as the most common identified concerns. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: MI can be adapted to address vaccine hesitancy in underserved minority groups and appears promising for identifying beliefs underlying hesitancy and possibly for increasing vaccination rates among these communities.