Hvordan tilegnet innvandrere seg informasjon om Covid-19, gjeldende smittevernstiltak og vaksine under pandemien? En kvalitativ studie
Abstract
Bakgrunn: Covid-19-pandemien har ført til økt etterspørsel etter tilgjengelig og pålitelig informasjon om smitteverntiltak og vaksinasjonsprogrammer blant befolkningen. Forskning har vist at noen innvandrergrupper var spesielt utsatte for smitte, og at vaksineskepsis var mer utbredt blant innvandrere. Samtidig hadde folkehelsemyndighetene utfordringer med å nå ut til disse gruppene med relevant informasjon, særlig i starten av pandemien. Feilinformasjon florerte også på sosiale medier. Det er begrenset kunnskap om hvordan innvandrergrupper tilegnet seg informasjon om Covid-19, gjeldende smittevernstiltak og vaksine.
Hensikt: Studien har som formål å øke kunnskapen om hvordan opplevelser, erfaringer og informasjonskanaler som ble benyttet av personer med innvandrerbakgrunn under Covid-19-pandemien kan ha påvirket deres beslutningsprosesser knyttet til smittevern og vaksinering.
Metode: Studien benytter en kvalitativ tilnærming, hvor semistrukturerte individuelle intervjuer ble gjennomført med syv innvandrere i alderen 26-66 år fra ulike land. Datamaterialet ble tolket og analysert med tematisk analyse som beskrevet av Braun og Clarke. Studiens teoretiske perspektiver vil bli sett i lys av helsekompetanse.
Resultater: Resultatene indikerer at språkbarrierer, kultur, religiøse og sosiale normer kan ha påvirket innvandreres tilgang til informasjon om Covid-19, smitteverntiltak og vaksine. Informasjonen ble ofte hentet fra ulike kilder, inkludert helsepersonell, venner og familie, samt sosiale medier. Innvandrere opplevde også ofte at informasjonen var uklar eller mangelfull, og at den ikke var tilpasset deres behov. Resultatene ble inndelt i tre temaer som var et bredere søk etter informasjon, tillit til systemet og betydningen av de nære relasjonene
Konklusjon: Studiens funn viser at det er behov for å utvikle og tilpasse informasjonskanaler og materiale for å nå ut til innvandrergrupper på en mer effektiv måte. Dette kan bidra til å øke deres kunnskap om Covid-19, smitteverntiltak og vaksine, og dermed redusere risikoen for smitte og øke vaksinedekningen blant disse gruppene.
Background: The Covid-19 pandemic created a significant demand for accessible and reliable information about preventive measures and vaccines among the population. Research has indicated that some immigrant groups were particularly susceptible to infection, and vaccine hesitancy was more prevalent among immigrants. At the same time, public health authorities faced challenges in reaching out to these groups with relevant information, particularly in the initial stages of the pandemic. Misinformation also proliferated on social media. There is limited knowledge about how immigrant groups acquired information on Covid-19, current preventive measures, and vaccines.
Aim: The purpose of this study is to increase knowledge about how individuals with immigrant backgrounds experienced and perceived information during the Covid-19 pandemic and how these information channels may have influenced their decision-making processes related to infection prevention and vaccination.
Method: This study was conducted using a qualitative approach, with semi-structured individual interviews used to collect data. Seven immigrants aged 26-66 participated in the study. The data was interpreted and analyzed using thematic analysis, as described by Braun and Clarke. The study's theoretical perspectives will be viewed considering health literacy.
Results: The results identified three main themes that participants reported when seeking information about the Covid-19 pandemic. Theme 1 was "a broader search for information," where participants sought information on multiple platforms due to what they perceived as limited information in Norway. Concerns about the pandemic led participants to seek information from friends and family members in their home country. Social media, local, national, and international news, their network, workplace, and school were the most commonly used information channels. Theme 2 was "trust in the system," where participants had varying degrees of trust in the information from authorities in their home country and in Norway. Theme 3 was "the importance of close relationships," where participants sought information from friends and family members in their home country due to concerns about the pandemic. Some felt pressure from their relationships, while others became uncertain due to the flood of information about the pandemic. The study shows that the participants' life situation also influenced their thinking and actions regarding vaccine choices.
Conclusion: This study concludes that immigrants faced challenges in finding reliable information about Covid-19, which could lead to increased risk of serious health problems and death. It is important for the government to ensure that immigrants have access to reliable information on Covid-19 in multiple languages. Some participants reported that the language used in press conferences was too bureaucratic and complex, and that the information was not sufficiently accessible to people with varying language skills. The government can take measures such as providing reliable information on Covid-19 in multiple languages, including minority languages. They can also work to increase the accessibility of information by using simpler language and communication channels that are more accessible to all. It may also be wise to collaborate with local organizations and leaders to increase awareness of Covid-19 and the importance of following guidelines to prevent its spread.