A mixed method evaluation of a novel targeted health messaging intervention to promote COVID-19 protective behaviours and vaccination among Black and South Asian communities living in the UK (The COBHAM study)

Dr Katie Sutton; Professor Jo Armes; Professor Lindsay Forbes; Ms Amran Mohamed; Dr Shuja Shafi; Dr Reham Mustafa; Ms S Shah; Professor Andrew Hayward; Dr Tasneem Pirani; Professor Tushna Vandrevala; Professor Jane Hendy; Dr Osman Dar; Dr Miqdad Asaria; Professor Sir Alimuddin Zumla; Professor Aftab Ala

doi:10.1016/j.clinme.2025.100285

A mixed method evaluation of a novel targeted health messaging intervention to promote COVID-19 protective behaviours and vaccination among Black and South Asian communities living in the UK (The COBHAM study)

Clin Med (Lond). 2025 Jan 23:100285. doi: 10.1016/j.clinme.2025.100285. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Dr Katie Sutton¹, Professor Jo Armes², Professor Lindsay Forbes³, Ms Amran Mohamed⁴, Dr Shuja Shafi⁵, Dr Reham Mustafa⁶, Ms S Shah⁷, Professor Andrew Hayward⁸, Dr Tasneem Pirani⁹, Professor Tushna Vandrevala¹⁰, Professor Jane Hendy¹¹, Dr Osman Dar¹², Dr Miqdad Asaria¹³, Professor Sir Alimuddin Zumla¹⁴, Professor Aftab Ala¹⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey.
² Professor of Cancer Care and Lead for Digital Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey.
³ Professor of Public Health, Centre for Health Service Studies, University of Kent.
⁴ Research Project Manager, Access and Medicine, Royal Surrey NHS FT.
⁵ Mass Gatherings and Global Health Network.
⁶ Access and Medicine, Royal Surrey NHS FT.
⁷ Independent.
⁸ Professor of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology and Inclusion Health Research, Institute of Epidemiology and Health, UCL.
⁹ Critical Care, Institute of Liver Studies Kings College Hospital.
¹⁰ Professor of Health Psychology, Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education, Kingston University of London.
¹¹ Dean of Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Kingston Business School, Kingston University of London.
¹² UKHSA and Chatham House.
¹³ Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, Visiting Fellow, REAL Centre, The Health Foundation, Academic Advisor, Research and Documentation Committee, Muslim Council of Britain.
¹⁴ UCL.
¹⁵ Professor of Hepatology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Access and Medicine, Royal Surrey NHS FTInstitute of Liver Studies, Kings College Hospital NHS FT. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39862965
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinme.2025.100285

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate an intervention (a film and electronic leaflet) disseminated via text message by general practices to promote COVID-19 preventative behaviours in Black and South Asian communities.

Methods: We carried out a before-and-after questionnaire study of attitudes to and implementation of COVID-19 preventative behaviours and qualitative interviews about the intervention with people registered with 26 general practices in England who identified as Black or South Asian.

Results: In the 108 people who completed both questionnaires, we found no significant change in attitudes to and implementation of COVID-19 preventative behaviours, although power was too low to detect significant effects. A key qualitative finding was that participants felt they did not 'belong' to the group targeted by the intervention.

Conclusion: Interventions targeting ethnic minorities in the UK need to acknowledge the heterogeneity of experience and circumstances of the target group so that people feel that the intervention is relevant to them.

Keywords: COVID-19; ethnic minority; protective health behaviours; targeted health messaging; vaccination.