Pharmacists’ Role in Addressing Vaccine Barriers Among Underserved Communities | APhA 2025
Chichi Ilonzo Momah, PharmD, discussed what pharmacists can be doing to address vaccine hesitancy and the barriers impeding under-resourced communities.
Pharmacists must provide culturally competent care and help facilitate access in order to address vaccine hesitancy among underserved communities, according to a presentation at the American Pharmacists Association 2025 Annual Meeting and Exposition.1
“In these communities, just like we pass down tradition, whether it's food or family tradition from one generation to another, people pass down fears as well,” said Chichi Ilonzo Momah, PharmD, in a session titled Fixin' to Address Vaccine Misinformation. “They pass down things that they've gone through, whether they trust the government or the regulatory bodies or not, we pass it down. It's left for us as pharmacists, which I always say is the most easily accessible, to be able to debunk some of these myths.”
One example that briefly explains historical barriers and distrust in health care is the Tuskegee syphilis study. | image credit: Kay Abrahams/peopleimages.com / stock.adobe.com
When it comes to vaccine uptake in specific communities, each is unique and carries a wealth of history that pharmacists, other providers, and public health experts need to be aware of. One example that briefly explains this history, as Momah also mentioned in her presentation, is the Tuskegee syphilis study.
READ MORE: Cultural, Health System Barriers Impact HPV Vaccination Rates
“The study was supposed to observe the natural history of untreated syphilis. As part of the study, researchers did not collect informed consent from participants. They also did not offer treatment, even after it was easily available,” wrote the CDC.2 Upon revelations of the study’s malpractice, several new initiatives and laws protecting study participants were put into place. Mainly affecting Black communities, the events of Tuskegee instilled distrust of government and health care among these populations and created long-lasting public health damage.
To address these historical issues, Momah discussed the lingering barriers to vaccine uptake among underserved communities. From structural and economic barriers to those impeding on patients’ cultures and behavior, she provided detailed insights into the public health issues of minority communities and what pharmacists can do to address them.
According to CDC data, which Momah’s colleague Lauren Angelo, PharmD, MBA, provided in their presentation, respiratory vaccine uptake is egregiously lacking across the US. At least 30% of all adults over 18 have expressed they probably or definitely would not get a COVID-19 or influenza vaccine during the 2024-25 respiratory virus season.1 While Angelo focused on the declining numbers and how to address them, Momah explored the communities that rarely receive attention from providers.
“You can educate other pharmacies, or the pharmacists, or the health care professionals, because, believe it or not, some of these doctors don't like vaccines,” continued Momah.1 “We're in a position to be able to educate and empower, not only in our profession, but beyond.”
Momah discussed 5 types of barriers impeding vaccine uptake and how they are even more detrimental to underserved communities across the country.
Beginning with structural barriers, she mentioned the existence of health care and pharmacy deserts, where communities have limited or no access to various care facilities. In underserved communities, however, Momah explained that transportation is a key structural barrier. “Whether it's transportation issues, clinic availability, long distance to care, there are gaps,” she said. Between extending pharmacy hours to increase access, or working with local government to improve public transportation, Momah believes there are several ways to combat structural barriers.
She then touched on economic barriers, which seem to be a more prominent impediment on vaccine uptake.
“Some people might lose their job and, to them, making their rent [and] putting food on the table trumps getting the vaccine. Most of these vaccines are free, but people don't know it,” said Momah.1 “But when we have access to this information, we should be able to share it.”
She then gave some real-world examples of cultural barriers that she has had to navigate in her everyday work at Springfield Pharmacy in Pennsylvania, where Momah is the owner and CEO. From understanding Ramadan traditions to the utmost compassion necessary for facilitating a language barrier, there are so many extra tidbits of knowledge pharmacists can be aware of to further garner trust with their patients in minority populations.
Finally, she concluded with her insights on behavioral and historical barriers to vaccine uptake; the latter in which is highlighted on a larger scale because of events like the Tuskegee syphilis study. “Imagine having these historical things that happen, and then they pass it down from generation to generation,” she said. “We have to make sure that our team understands that these things did happen, and these are some of the reasons why some of these patients don't want the vaccines.”
As behavioral barriers can be unique to all races, ages, and populations, Momah’s best approach to addressing these is through education, personalized counseling, empowering patients, and outreach. “The distrust, the fear, the anxiety, social influences, low health literacy,” she said. “It's so easy for us to talk about this because we're educated. But these are people that don't know as much as we know.”
Vaccine barriers that exacerbate issues of uptake across the country may not be addressed on a national level. However, all pharmacists in the US and beyond have the capability to address their patients’ concerns and build trustworthy relationships that support the evidence-based benefits of vaccines. In her plead for pharmacists to do their best in making a difference in vaccine hesitancy and uptake, Momah concluded her presentation with a call to action.
“Just begin to think about some of these barriers, some of these challenges,” she concluded.1 “Start having that conversation when you get back to your practices, in your community, your circle of influence. Let's begin to close this gap.”
