Improving vaccine access and trust in rural and border communities
Community-Based Participatory Research to Enhance Vaccine Uptake Across the Lifespan through Innovative Points of Access and Altering Norms in Border and Rural Regions
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA · NIH-11186970
This project works to increase vaccinations for people in rural and border areas by offering vaccines in new places and by building community support.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (TUCSON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11186970 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You may be asked to share your experiences and concerns about vaccines so the team can understand what helps or prevents people from getting shots. The program will place immunization specialists in dental clinics and try other nontraditional access points while gathering input from patients, families, community leaders, and health providers. Staff will track whether more people get vaccinated over time and whether the approach can be kept running and expanded to other clinics. The work focuses on rural southeast Arizona and Santa Cruz County but aims to develop approaches that other similar communities could use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living in rural or border regions—especially patients of federally qualified health centers and dental clinics, including adolescents and adults who are un- or under-vaccinated—are the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People who live outside the targeted rural/border areas or who are already up to date on recommended vaccines and well connected to primary care may not see direct benefits from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make getting vaccines easier and more acceptable locally, lowering the risk of vaccine-preventable illnesses.
How similar studies have performed: Community outreach and clinic-based vaccination programs have improved uptake in some places, but using immunization specialists in dental clinics and tailoring strategies for border rural communities is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
TUCSON, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA — TUCSON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: NUNO, THOMAS — UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
- Study coordinator: NUNO, THOMAS
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.