, in partnership with the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, has launched the to collect critical data about vaccine hesitancy and barriers to care among Pennsylvania’s LGBTQ residents with regard to the COVID-19 vaccine.
This is the first statewide LGBTQ COVID-19 vaccine survey in the country and is modeled after a regional survey in Boulder, Colo., that was administered by Out Boulder. LGBTQ Pennsylvanians who are 18 and older are invited to participate in the confidential survey at
Adrian Shanker, executive director of Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center and collaborating investigator on the study, said, “State and federal vaccine tracking systems are not measuring the LGBTQ community. We need to know if our community is willing to receive the vaccine or not—and, if not, what barriers are in the way. This survey is essential in getting that information and keeping our communities safe from COVID-19.â€
Kat Carrick, adjunct professor of social work at Â鶹ÊÓƵ and associate director of , is the principal investigator on the study.
"Our community partnership is utilizing a snowball approach of social media networks from LGBTQ community centers and groups across the state in an effort to reduce LGBTQ health disparities in Pennsylvania," Carrick said. "It is our hope that the data will guide statewide LGBTQ outreach and vaccine efforts."
In addition to Shanker and Carrick, additional co-investigators are Christina Graham-Brasavage, M.P.H., data and evaluation manager at Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, and Tamarah Moss, assistant professor of social work at Â鶹ÊÓƵ.
Additional organizations partnering on the data collection are in Philadelphia; in Pittsburgh; in Harrisburg; in Harrisburg; in York; in Reading; and in Chester.