1Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC
2School of Nursing, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
3Cancer Prevention and Control Training Program, Heersink School of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
4Division of Nursing, Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC
American Journal of Public Health Research.
2025,
Vol. 13 No. 2, 74-79
DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-13-2-6
Copyright © 2025 Science and Education PublishingCite this paper: DaKysha Moore, Lisa N. Mansfield, Nicole Caviness-Ashe, Elijah O. Onsomu. Black Pastors as Change Agents Promoting COVID-19 Vaccination in South Carolina: Application of Diffusion of Innovations Theory.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2025; 13(2):74-79. doi: 10.12691/ajphr-13-2-6.
Correspondence to: DaKysha Moore, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC. Email:
dmooreonsomu@ncat.eduAbstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many minority communities tried different strategies to increase their members’ vaccination rates. This study uses diffusion of innovations theory [1] with a focus on “the sequence of change agent roles” to explore Black pastors’ approach to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Ten semi-structured interviews gauged how Black pastors understood their role in increasing vaccine use in their communities. Seven themes emerged from analysis: creating awareness of change; establishing a connection; seeking to understand; encouraging the new behavior; leveraging the power of interpersonal communication; maintaining support; and providing future assistance. Results im-ply that by continuing to work with healthcare providers, Black pastors can help to in-crease awareness about annual COVID-19 boosters among their church members and in surrounding communities.
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