Black communities have been disproportionately impacted by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Canada, in terms of both number of infections and mortality rates. Yet, according to early studies, vaccine hesitancy appears to be higher in Black communities. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the prevalence and factors associated with vaccine hesitancy in Black communities in Canada. Peer-reviewed studies published from 11 March 2020 to 26 July 2022, were searched through eleven databases: APA PsycInfo (Ovid), Cairn.info, Canadian Business & Current Affairs (ProQuest), CPI.Q (Gale OneFile), Cochrane CENTRAL (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Érudit, Global Health (EBSCOhost), MEDLINE (Ovid), and Web of Science (Clarivate). Eligible studies were published in French or English and had empirical data on the prevalence or factors associated with vaccine hesitancy in samples or subsamples of Black people. Only five studies contained empirical data on vaccine hesitancy in Black individuals and were eligible for inclusion in this systematic review. Black individuals represented 1.18% (n = 247) of all included study samples (n = 20,919). Two of the five studies found that Black individuals were more hesitant to be vaccinated against COVID-19 compared to White individuals, whereas the other three found no significant differences. The studies failed to provide any evidence of factors associated with vaccine hesitancy in Black communities. Despite national concerns about vaccine hesitancy in Black communities, a color-blind approach is still predominant in Canadian health research. Of about 40 studies containing empirical data on vaccine hesitancy in Canada, only five contained data on Black communities. None analyzed factors associated with vaccine hesitancy in Black communities. Policies and strategies to strengthen health research in Black communities and eliminate the color-blind approach are discussed.
15 April 2022 in Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology
To systematically review the prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among Black children and adolescents compared to White, Latino and Asian children and adolescents.Peer-rev...
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought stress and anxiety to students, professors, and staff in universities. The effectiveness of members of research laboratories not directly involved in research on the virus may be impacted. At the University of Ottawa, laboratories have been affected by the shutdown of all non-essential activities. An experience in a research laboratory at the University of Ottawa observed that members were affected by anxiety, stress, sleep deregulation, etc. However, a humanistic approach that allowed members to share their COVID-19 experiences in an authentic, empathic atmosphere leads them to regain their effectiveness, create hope, and develop resilience strategies.