Abstract

African American children continue to experience lower childhood vaccination rates (Immunizations and Black/African Americans | Office of Minority Health, 2025), driven by factors such as vaccine hesitancy, historical mistrust, and misinformation. Despite the availability of vaccines, rates of vaccination remain below recommended levels, particularly in underserved communities (Hill, 2024). This research-in-progress aims to explore the underlying awareness gaps and digital behaviors that may influence how African American parents, and future parents, make vaccine related decisions for their children. Research has shown that digital health interventions are effective tools in increasing health knowledge and engagement, especially amongst ethnic and cultural minorities (Radu et al., 2023). We employ a survey-based methodology to assess baseline knowledge of vaccine schedules, perceptions of vaccine safety, and openness to digital tools for health education. The survey also captures digital literacy, mobile app usage patterns, and attitudes toward gamification in health contexts. Early findings are expected to provide a detailed understanding of informational needs, behavioral barriers, and the potential acceptance and utilization of technological solutions. This study is part of a broader research agenda to design inclusive and culturally relevant digital health interventions. By grounding our future app development in data from impacted communities, we aim to improve the effectiveness and trustworthiness of public health messaging. Improved public health messaging is especially important for populations that exhibit distrust of health institutions due to historical harm. Our preliminary results will provide insights into how African American parents and future parents perceive vaccination content and strategies to improve digital engagement in childhood healthcare. Preliminary results will also help inform design choices for future mobile health tools aimed at broader populations.

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