Race/ethnicity, online information and COVID-19 vaccination: Study of minority immigrants’ internet use for health-related information

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic aggravated existing challenges for racial/ethnic minority immigrants in the U.S. in obtaining health information and seeking health care. Based on in-depth interviews with 49 racial/ethnic minority immigrants in the U.S. Midwest, this study examines how they navigated online health information related to general health issues and in particular COVID-19, how they encounter online misinformation related to COVID-19 vaccination and their willingness to get vaccinated. Results show that participants use online health information from both the U.S. and their home country to stay informed about the pandemic, but often encounter misinformation and hate speech online. Further, participants are hesitant to correct misinformation due to contentious online environment. Additionally, findings revealed that younger participants tended to be less willing to get vaccinated due to low perceived benefits. The study suggests scholarly and practical implications for those who work in the area of health communication, digital media messaging and minority communication.