Table 1 Characteristics of the included records on narrative-based efforts to promote vaccine confidence among Indigenous populations

Gardiner et al., 2023, Australia [39]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Rural and remote Aboriginal communities

Mixed-methods: VAS form and yarning

To describe the preparation and response phases of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) COVID-19 response.

Gilchrist et al., 2021, New Zealand [70]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Pregnant women with an expected due date between April 2009 and March 2010, and their partners.

Quantitative observational

To describe vaccination information received by fathers during pregnancy and paternal determinants of timely infant vaccinations

Haroz et al., 2022, U.S. [40]

Peer-reviewed

American Indian (AI) and Alaskan Native (AN) communities

Qualitative descriptive

To describe the factors and strategies that led to the successful COVID-19 vaccination efforts in AI/AN communities.

Ignacio et al., 2022, U.S. [11]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

African American/Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Hispanic/Latinx communities in Arizona

Mixed-methods: focus groups and survey

To understand factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine confidence, reduce disparities, and promote health equity.

Manca et al., 2022, Canada [76]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Racialized minorities and Indigenous Peoples in Canada

Mixed-methods: survey and interviews

To explore COVID-19 vaccination intentions and concerns.

Mosby & Swidrovich, 2021, Canada [13]

Peer-reviewed

Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) communities

Report

To report on the roots of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Indigenous Peoples in Canada

Ortiz-Paredes et al., 2022, Canada [79]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Incarcerated people in Canadian federal prisons

Qualitative descriptive

To better understand vaccine hesitancy in these high-risk settings, the authors explored reasons for COVID-19 vaccine refusal among inmates in federal prisons.

Sullivan et al., 2023, Canada [52]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Star Blanket Cree Nation residents

Mixed-methods: social media analytics and sharing circles

To explore vaccine hesitancy among Indigenous people in a First Nation community in Saskatchewan, strategies to address it, and examining the impact of both colonial history and contemporary influences.

Thomas et al., 2022, Australia [53]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Parents and health service providers.

Qualitative, semi-structured interviews and focus groups

To gain a deeper understanding of the reasons for low vaccine coverage.

Tutt et al., 2022, U.S. [41]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Navajo Nation (NN), Arizona

Mixed-methods: Interviews and survey

To report on the adapted and tailored Diné Teachings and Public Health Students Informing Peers and Relatives about Vaccine Education (RAVE) intervention.

Dudgeon et al., 2023, Australia [80]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health experts; community leaders; academics; service providers; representatives; and non-Indigenous colleagues

Qualitative: semi-structured and open discussions led by Aboriginal facilitators

To outline the national collaborative consultation process and summarize the key findings of the Close the Gap Priority Reforms roundtables final report during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Epperson et al., 2022, U.S. [81]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Native American participants

Qualitative: focus groups

To better understand COVID-19 vaccine perceptions and to develop solutions that improve vaccine confidence and mitigate COVID-19 morbidity and mortality among Native Americans living in urban communities.

Graham et al., 2022, Australia [67]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Aboriginal youth

Rapid qualitative assessment. Participatory peer-led researcher interviews

To examine what Aboriginal people think about COVID-19 vaccines, reasons why they were vaccinated, and factors involved in receiving COVID-19 vaccination.

Silberner, 2021, U.S. [15]

Peer-reviewed

American Indians (AI) and Alaska Natives (AN)

Report

To report on the success of Native American vaccination efforts.

Carson et al., 2021, U.S. [42]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Participants identified as American Indian, Black/African American, Filipino/Filipina, Latino/Latina, or Pacific Islander.

Qualitative: focus groups

To explore factors in the decision-making process for COVID-19 vaccines that can inform public health policy for equitable vaccine distribution.

Yzer et al., 2018, U.S. [56]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Parents of American Indian (AI) children

Quantitative: between-subjects randomized experiment

To test two hypotheses: (1) AI cultural message cues strengthen perceived effectiveness of HPV vaccination messages; (2) the degree message recipients identify with AI culture impacts effects on message identification and perceived effectiveness.

Bowen et al., 2014, U.S. [68]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Adolescent Native American (NA) girls aged 9 to 18 years old and NA parents and caregivers aged 18 to 64

Qualitative: focus groups

To understand cancer-screening practices among NA women living in rural and urban areas, and to identify cultural and environmental barriers related to HPV vaccine intentions and perceptions about cervical cancer screening.

Boyd & Buchwald, 2022, U.S. [54]

Peer-reviewed

American Indians (AI)

Commentary

To discuss factors that influence AI risk perceptions of COVID-19 vaccinations including the impact on Elders, community, and culture.

Gauld et al., 2022, New Zealand [64]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Nine Māori women and nine Māori Health Care Providers (HCPs)

Qualitative: semi-structured interviews

To describe the experiences of Māori women regarding maternal pertussis and influenza vaccinations and investigate the factors influencing their uptake.

Carter Olson et al., 2022, U.S. [75]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Indigenous women

Qualitative: thematic textual analysis of Indigenous media

To advance theoretical knowledge of Indigenous women’s roles in COVID-19 coverage.

Eichelberger et al., 2022, U.S. [71]

Preprint, primary research

The majority of interview participants were women and most identified as American Indian or Alaskan Native.

Mixed-methods: survey and semi-structured interviews

To describe the decision-making process regarding the COVID-19 vaccine among 38 Alaskans who live in rural areas and are primarily female and Indigenous.

Ellenwood et al., 2023, U.S. [55]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Thirty Nimiipuu people from the Nez Perce Reservation

Qualitative: semi-structured interviews

To provide a holistic view of risk perception factors and better understand how Native Americans perceive vaccines.

Villar, 2021, U.S. [59]

Peer-reviewed

Marginalized communities

Commentary

To share the authors experiences on projects in which community residents, academics, or other experts collaboratively created materials with tailored information.

Funnell et al., 2022, Canada [12]

Peer-reviewed

First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples

Fact sheet

To understand how current best practices may influence the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among Indigenous Peoples.

McDowell, 2024, U.S. [74]

Preprint, primary research

N/A

Qualitative: storytelling analysis

To examine three cases of COVID-19 misinformation with new storytelling theory.

King et al., 2022, Canada [43]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Métis people living in Alberta

Case study

To describe the approach employed in Canada’s first Métis-run COVID-19 vaccination center.

Power et al., 2020, Australia [97]

Peer-reviewed

Indigenous Peoples

Editorial

To explore current issues raised for Indigenous communities by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kerrigan et al., 2023, Australia [44]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

First Nations leaders, Elders fluent in First Nations languages, and Northern Territory residents

Mixed-methods: interviews and social media analytics

To describe a collaborative research project, and to clarify the methods used in making COVID-19 vaccine videos for First Nations communities.

Driedger et al., 2013, Canada [45]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

First Nations and Métis people in Manitoba

Qualitative: focus groups and key informant interviews

To contextualize participant responses to H1N1 vaccine messaging, how priority groups for vaccination were determined, and the identification of H1N1 virus risk groups.

Driedger et al., 2015, Canada [72]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Métis participants in urban, rural, and remote locations in Manitoba

Qualitative: focus groups

To link vaccination practice to the attitudes and beliefs that affected the H1N1 vaccine decision-making of Métis study participants.

Atter, 2021, Canada [73]

Gray literature

Lac La Ronge First Nation

News report

First Nations leaders say they do not want to lose any more community members to COVID-19. They are promoting the vaccine by going public with their vaccinations.

Goodyear, 2021, Canada [69]

Gray literature

Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) People

News report

To report on the new virtual sharing hub and Dr. Ojistoh Horn’s efforts to help people in her community make informed vaccination decisions.

Trent University, 2022 [46]

Gray literature

Local Indigenous leaders of the Urban Indigenous Vaccine Working Group (UIVWG) and leadership at Peterborough Public Health (PPH)

News report

To report on the success of the UIVWG implementing vaccination clinics for Indigenous Peoples in the Peterborough/Nogojiwanong area.

Women’s College Hospital, 2021, Canada [47]

Gray literature

Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) communities

Newsletter

To report on a network of community partnerships supporting COVID-10 public health responses for urban Indigenous communities.

Anishinabek News, 2021, Canada [99]

Gray literature

First Nations, Inuit and Métis

News report

To share information about Maad’ookiing Mshkiki– Sharing Medicine hub.

O’Watch & Sullivan, 2021, Canada [60]

Gray literature

Indigenous youth

News report

To introduce a children’s book which was co-created with the intention of reducing vaccine hesitancy.

Sidner et al., 2021, U.S. [77]

Gray literature

Indigenous population

News report

To raise awareness about COVID-19 vaccination.

Cruz & Velarde, 2022, U.S. [65]

Gray literature

Hispanic, Native American and Black/African/African American communities in New Mexico.

Report

To determine the barriers and concerns around the COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations, as well as methods for boosting vaccine confidence.

Clark et al., Australia, 2024 [48]

Peer-reviewed

Indigenous communities in Australia (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples) and Canada (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis).

Commentary

The study aims to showcase how Indigenous leadership and self-governance improved COVID-19 vaccination uptake in Indigenous communities, demonstrating the need for Indigenous autonomy in public health initiatives.

Collier et al., 2023, U.S. [49]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Urban American Indian (AI) and Alaska Native (AN) parents and their children.

Quantitative: cross-sectional survey

To examine the parental characteristics, beliefs, and attitudes associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance for their children​

Gonzalez & Stewart, 2024, U.S. [61]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

American Indian (AI) and Alaskan Native (AN) college students in Alaska

Quantitative: saturated path analysis using survey data

To investigate how historical trauma, racial discrimination, and healthcare system distrust contribute to vaccine hesitancy among AIAN college students

Marfo et al., 2024, Canada [62]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Ethnically diverse parents in Canada with children aged 11–18.

Qualitative: semi-structured interviews and discourse analysis

To explore how intersecting social privileges and disadvantages shape access to and use of COVID-19 vaccine information and vaccination among diverse parents in Canada

Nascimento et al., 2023, Canada [50]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Individuals from the general Canadian population, as well as specific equity-deserving groups, including First Nations, Métis, or Inuit, LGBT2SQ + individuals, low-income Canadians, Black Canadians, and newcomers.

Qualitative: semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis

To identify and document the contextual factors shaping vaccine hesitancy among equity-deserving groups in Canada.

Purvis et al., 2023, U.S. [63]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Members of three tribal nations in the Great Plains.

Quantitative: cross-sectional survey

To assess factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination status among Indigenous populations in the Great Plains, considering social, cultural, and economic influences

Simms et al., 2023, Canada [51]

Peer-reviewed, primary research

Citizens of the Métis Nation of Ontario.

Qualitative: semi-structured interviews

To understand COVID-19 vaccine behavior among Métis people and the factors influencing vaccine uptake, including public discourse, interpersonal influences, and healthcare interactions​