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. 2025 Dec;57(1):2445777.
doi: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2445777. Epub 2024 Dec 27.

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and preference for future delivery among language minority, newcomer, and racialized peoples in Canada: a national cross-sectional and longitudinal study

Robin M Humble  1 , Janet Sau Wun Lee  1 , Crystal Du  1   2 , S Michelle Driedger  3 , Eve Dubé  4 , Shannon E MacDonald  1   2
Affiliations

COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and preference for future delivery among language minority, newcomer, and racialized peoples in Canada: a national cross-sectional and longitudinal study

Robin M Humble et al. Ann Med. 2025 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Despite high COVID-19 vaccine coverage in Canada, vaccine acceptance and preferred delivery among newcomers, racialized persons, and those who primarily speak minority languages are not well understood. This national study explores COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, access to vaccines, and delivery preferences among ethnoculturally diverse population groups.

Methods: We conducted two national cross-sectional surveys during the pandemic (Dec 2020 and Oct-Nov 2021). Binary logistic regression analysis investigated the association between newcomer, language, and racialized minority respondents' perceptions and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines, experiences of discrimination when accessing health services, and sociodemographic characteristics. McNemar-Bowker tests were used to assess changes in responses collected at two time points.

Results: Among 1630 respondents, 30.8% arrived in Canada within the last five years, 87.4% self-identified as a racialized minority, and 37.2% primarily spoke languages other than English or French. Although single dose COVID-19 vaccine uptake was at 92.7% among respondents, 14.8% experienced difficulty accessing vaccines, citing a need for translated resources or multi-lingual personnel. In longitudinal analysis, respondents were increasingly motivated over time to overcome barriers to accessing vaccines (61.4% to 69.6%, p = <.001). Fifty-nine percent (59.9%) of respondents would accept annual vaccination and over half would accept co-administration with routine (56.2%) or influenza (52.3%) vaccines. Experiences of racism/discrimination upon health service access were reported by 12.3% of respondents, who recommended increasing culturally safe practices and community involvement at vaccination sites.

Conclusions: Understanding how newcomers, racialized peoples, and minority language speakers perceive and access COVID-19 vaccines will support vaccination campaigns to optimize equitable access.

Keywords: COVID-19; minority language; newcomer; racialized; vaccination.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Respondents’ reasons for being undecided or having no intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (n = 97).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Influencers of vaccination identified by respondents who received or intended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (n = 1315).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Factors for easier vaccination from respondents who received or intended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (n = 1563).
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
How health officials can improve COVID-19 vaccine information and access for respondents (n = 719) (open-ended question).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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