According to the covid-19 vaccine data (reported on March 28, 2021):

§ 1,082,702 of Indiana residents have been fully
vaccinated against COVID-19

§ 87.3% of those individuals identify as White.

§ Only 4.9% of those vaccinations have been distributed to Blacks/African Americans despite African-Americans comprising
9.4% of Indiana’s population.

Why aren’t African Americans getting vaccinated? And how can current and future healthcare professionals address this disparity? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Maria Wilson to discuss the myths surrounding COVID-19 vaccination as well as disparities in COVID-19 vaccinations in the black communities of Indiana.

About Dr. Maria Wilson:

Maria Wilson, MD, MSc is a wife and mother of two. Graduated from Prairie View
A&M University then went on to the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
She concurrently attended U of L’s School of Public Health and Information
Sciences earning a masters degree in Epidemiology and Clinical Investigative
Sciences alongside my medical doctorate. She went on to complete her Internal
Medicine Residency training at Indiana University, which is where she developed
her passion for primary care, specifically in underserved populations.

Her current role is as Senior Medical Director for Oak Street Health. She is part
of the leadership team that oversees the 8 centers in Indiana. Oak Street
Health is a mission-oriented private health care company that delivers
excellent primary care for adults on medicare. They are currently spread across
14 states with 75+ centers. Oak Street specifically sets up their centers in healthcare deserts where people have historically had complicated relationships with the healthcare system.