Effects of religious and cultural beliefs on vaccine attitudes in a Hispanic immigrant population in the United States

Abstract

Hispanic Immigrants (HI) have lower vaccination rates than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Culturally appropriate interventions are more influential in evoking change among viewers; therefore, it is important to understand the cultural factors of specific ethnic groups. In this study, we identify cultural barriers to vaccination of Hispanic Immigrants. An electronic survey was administered among HI parents living in the United States. Using structural equation modeling, we found that high religious practice and positive religious beliefs towards vaccination correspond with positive vaccine attitudes (+0.20 and +0.587, respectively). Trust in institutions is strongly correlated with strong positive vaccine attitudes (+0.734). While trusting one’s folk practitioner more than a medical doctor leads to negative vaccine attitudes (-0.596), the use of home remedies is associated with positive vaccine attitudes (+0.486). The cultural competence of a medical practitioner, especially regarding folk medicine, is essential to lower cultural barriers HI patients face in vaccination.