Factors Affecting SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Intent and Decision Making Among African American, Native American, and Hispanic Participants in a Qualitative Study.

Limited studies are available on how decisions and perceptions on SARS-CoV-2 vaccination have changed since the start of vaccination availability. We performed a qualitative study to identify factors critical to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination decision making and how perspectives evolved among African American/Black, Native American, and Hispanic communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and social and economic disadvantage. We conducted 16 virtual meetings, with 232 participants in wave 1 meetings (December 2020) and with 206 returning participants in wave 2 meetings (January and February 2021). Wave 1 vaccine concerns in all communities included information needs, vaccine safety, and speed of vaccine development. Lack of trust in government and the pharmaceutical industry was influential, particularly among African American/Black and Native American participants. Participants showed more willingness to get vaccinated at wave 2 than at wave 1, indicating that many of their information needs had been addressed. Hesitancy remained greater among African American/Black and Native American participants than among Hispanic participants. Participants in all groups indicated that conversations tailored to their community and with those most trustworthy to them would be helpful. To overcome vaccine hesitancy, we propose a model of fully considered SARS-CoV-2 vaccine decision making, whereby public health departments supply information, align with community values and recognize lived experiences, offer support for decision making, and make vaccination easy and convenient.

Flexible teaching during a pandemic and beyond: A reflection on lessons learned from the society for the teaching of psychology's pivot teaching committee

During the past 2 years, instructors have faced a variety of obstacles related to COVID-19's continued impact on higher education. For example, educators have had to manage a lack of training, heightened stress and anxiety levels, the need for increased instructor flexibility, transitions from the classroom to the online environment (and back again), challenges to academic integrity, and difficulty maintaining boundaries between home and work life. In response, the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP;American Psychological Association Division 2) formed a task force to examine the obstacles instructors face when required to "pivot teach." The present article reports on the findings from four areas of particular difficulty for instructors throughout the pandemic. First, we focus on teaching modalities, specifically by examining online asynchronous instruction, virtual synchronous instruction, and hybrid or flex instruction. Second, we explore teaching methods and assessment, including the importance of transparency, the importance of flexibility, practical assessment strategies, and flexible assignment ideas. Third, we discuss personal and professional development and offer multiple strategies to help separate work from home. Finally, we provide thoughts on looking back and looking ahead as instructors continue to adapt to an ever-changing educational landscape. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)