The decision to vaccinate is highly influenced by opinions of healthcare workers' colleagues and others close to them.
About three in 20 healthcare workers surveyed reported being hesitant about getting their COVID-19 vaccinations—and vaccine decisions were likely to be influenced by their colleagues, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago.
The study, "COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy Among Health Care Workers, Communication and Policy-Making," contains more than 1,900 completed surveys from three healthcare systems: University of Illinois Health, Rush University Medical Center, and Advocate Aurora Health. The results are published in the American Journal of Infection Control.
Survey results showed that 85% of healthcare workers either received or expected to get the COVID-19 vaccination.
Respondents were asked to answer questions about their perceived susceptibility, severity, barriers, and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination, along with internal and external factors that would affect their decision to get the COVID-19 vaccination.
They also provided sociodemographic information, including political affiliations and occupation.
Healthcare workers who were vaccine-hesitant tended to be younger, non-physicians, Black, Republican, or had concerns about the vaccine’s effect on their bodies, said study author Dr. Stephanie Toth-Manikowski, UIC assistant professor of medicine in the College of Medicine.
Some respondents cited insufficient evidence for the vaccine’s effectiveness, she said.
"People who were not vaccinated perceived COVID differently and saw more barriers to getting the vaccine," Toth-Manikowski said. "As a whole, healthcare workers saw more benefits than barriers."
Of the survey respondents, 99% of physicians were planning vaccination, while only 82% of nurses were.
The reasons for such a disparity are unclear and highlight the need for further investigation, Toth-Manikowski said.
The decision to vaccinate was highly influenced by what the healthcare workers' colleagues and others close to them thought about the vaccine and least influenced by mass media marketing, the study said.
"How we disseminate knowledge is so important," Toth-Manikowski said. "People may be more likely to listen to a trusted supervisor or colleague than someone they’ve never met."
The study's authors suggest a key way to communicate the vaccine’s importance.
"Rather than focusing on generalized, impersonal outreach advertisements from hospital administration or the mainstream media, hospitals should work internally to foster relationships and trust building among employees across departments and job roles, especially among nurses and physicians who remain highly trusted in their communities," the paper stated.
Toth-Manikowski used herself as an example.
She was breastfeeding her infant when she received the COVID-19 vaccine. When questioned about the vaccine’s safety for pregnant or lactating women, she didn't hesitate to share her story.
"One of the reasons I chose to vaccinate is because research shows that antibodies are getting to babies, whether in utero or via breastmilk," she said. "We also know that unvaccinated pregnant women have poorer outcomes with COVID-19 infection."
The study's co-authors include Eric Swirsky of UIC; Dr. Rupali Gandhi of Advocate Children’s Hospital, Oak Lawn; and Dr. Gina Piscitello of Rush University, Chicago.
“People who were not vaccinated perceived COVID differently and saw more barriers to getting the vaccine.”
Dr. Stephanie Toth-Manikowski, assistant professor of medicine, University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine
Carol Davis is the Nursing Editor at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
85% of healthcare workers either received or expected to get the COVID-19 vaccination.
Healthcare workers who were vaccine-hesitant tended to be younger, non-physicians, Black, Republican, or feared the vaccine’s effect on their bodies.
Of the survey respondents, 99% of physicians were planning vaccination, while only 82% of nurses were.