scholarly journals Healthcare worker intentions to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and reasons for hesitancy: A survey of 16,158 health system employees on the eve of vaccine distribution

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle N. Meyer ◽  
Tamara Gjorgjieva ◽  
Daniel Rosica
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Population Immunity ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Acceptance Rates ◽  
Vaccine Distribution ◽  
To Receive

AbstractHealthcare workers (HCWs) have been recommended to receive first priority for limited COVID-19 vaccines. They have also been identified as potential ambassadors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, helping to ensure that sufficient members of a hesitant public accept COVID-19 vaccines to achieve population immunity. Yet HCWs themselves have shown vaccine hesitancy in other contexts and the few prior surveys of U.S. HCW intentions to receive a COVID-19 vaccine report acceptance rates of only 28% to 34%. However, it is unknown whether HCW acceptance remains low following mid-November announcements of the efficacy of the first COVID-19 vaccines and the issuance of two emergency use authorizations (EUA) in December. We report the results of a December 2020 survey (N = 16,158; response rate 61%) administered by a large Pennsylvania health system to determine the intentions of its employees to receive a vaccine when it is offered to them. In a mixed sample of individuals serving in patient-facing and other roles, 55% would decide to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when offered, 16.4% would not, and 28.5% reported being undecided. The distribution of responses varied little across hospital campuses, between those in patient-facing roles and other HCWs, or by area or department of work. The higher rate of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance we observe may reflect the framing and timing of our survey. Among hesitant respondents, an overwhelming majority (90.3%) reported concerns about unknown risks and insufficient data. Other commonly reported concerns included known side effects (57.4%) and wanting to wait until they see how it goes with others (44.4%). We observed a substantial increase in self-reported intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine after an FDA advisory committee voted to recommend an EUA. Among respondents who completed the survey after that point in time, 79% intend to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (n = 1155). Although only suggestive, this trend offers hope that rates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance may be higher among HCWs and, perhaps, the general public than more hypothetical survey results have indicated.

scholarly journals Healthcare worker intentions to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and reasons for hesitancy: A survey of 16,158 health system employees on the eve of vaccine distribution

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle N. Meyer ◽  
Tamara Gjorgjieva ◽  
Daniel Rosica
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Population Immunity ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Acceptance Rates ◽  
Vaccine Distribution ◽  
To Receive

Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been recommended to receive first priority for limited COVID-19 vaccines. They have also been identified as potential ambassadors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, helping to ensure that sufficient members of a hesitant public accept COVID-19 vaccines to achieve population immunity. Yet HCWs themselves have shown vaccine hesitancy in other contexts and the few prior surveys of U.S. HCW intentions to receive a COVID-19 vaccine report acceptance rates of only 28% to 34%. However, it is unknown whether HCW acceptance remains low following mid-November announcements of the efficacy of the first COVID-19 vaccines and the issuance of two emergency use authorizations (EUA) in December. We report the results of a December 2020 survey (N = 16,158; response rate 61%) administered by a large Pennsylvania health system to determine the intentions of its employees to receive a vaccine when it is offered to them. In a mixed sample of individuals serving in patient-facing and other roles, 55% would decide to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when offered, 16.4% would not, and 28.5% reported being undecided. The distribution of responses varied little across hospital campuses, between those in patient-facing roles and other HCWs, or by area or department of work. The higher rate of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance we observe may reflect the framing and timing of our survey. Among hesitant respondents, an overwhelming majority (90.3%) reported concerns about unknown risks and insufficient data. Other commonly reported concerns included known side effects (57.4%) and wanting to wait until they see how it goes with others (44.4%). We observed a substantial increase in self-reported intent to receive a COVID-19 vaccine after an FDA advisory committee voted to recommend an EUA. Among respondents who completed the survey after that point in time, 79% intend to receive a COVID-19 vaccine (n = 1155). Although only suggestive, this trend offers hope that rates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance may be higher among HCWs and, perhaps, the general public than more hypothetical survey results have indicated.

scholarly journals A Local Survey of COVID-19: Vaccine Potential Acceptance Rate among Personnel in a Level 1 Trauma Center without Severe COVID-19 Cases

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1616
Author(s):  
André Nohl ◽  
Heithem Ben Abdallah ◽  
Veronika Weichert ◽  
Sascha Zeiger ◽  
Tobias Ohmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Collective Responsibility ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Continuous Exposure ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Global Challenge ◽  
Vaccination Acceptance ◽  
Level 1 ◽  
Acceptance Rates ◽  
To Receive

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) in hospitals are at high risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare workers’ infection risk could be amplified during the ongoing pandemic due to various factors, including continuous exposure to patients and inadequate infection control training. Despite the risk healthcare workers face, vaccine hesitancy remains a global challenge. Differences in acceptance rates have ranged from less than 55% (in Russia) to nearly 90% (in China). In order to improve our knowledge of vaccine acceptance and its variation in rates, an evaluation is warranted. A survey was thus administered to healthcare workers. Methods: This survey aimed to address vaccination acceptance among employees in an urban level 1 trauma hospital. It was conducted through a developed and structured questionnaire that was randomly distributed online among the staff (age ≥18 years) to receive their feedback. Results: Among 285 participants (out of 995 employees), 69% were female, and 83.5% were overaged more than 30 years of age. The two largest groups were nurses (32%) and doctors (22%). The majority of respondents reported that they would “like to be vaccinated” (77.4%) and that they trusted the COVID-19 vaccine (62%). Moreover, 67.8% also reported that they felt the vaccination was effective. They reported that vaccination was a method to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (85.15%) and was a way to protect individuals with weak immune systems (78.2%). More importantly, the participants were concerned about other people (80.1%) and believed the vaccine would protect others. On the other hand, the result showed that the majority of participants (95.3%) chose to be vaccinated once everyone else was vaccinated, “I don’t need to get vaccinated”. Results showed that the majority of participants that chose “I don’t need to get vaccinated” did so after everyone else was vaccinated. Our results show that COVID-19 vaccination intention in a level 1 trauma hospital was associated with older age males who are more confident, and also share a collective responsibility, are less complacent, and have fewer constraints. Conclusion: Acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine is relatively low among healthcare workers (HCWs). Differences in vaccine acceptance have been noted between different categories of HCWs and genders. Therefore, addressing barriers to vaccination acceptance among these HCWs is essential to avoid reluctance to receive the vaccination, but it will be challenging.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Worldwide: A Concise Systematic Review of Vaccine Acceptance Rates

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 160
Author(s):  
Malik Sallam
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
General Public ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Initial Step ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Acceptance Rates

Utility of vaccine campaigns to control coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) is not merely dependent on vaccine efficacy and safety. Vaccine acceptance among the general public and healthcare workers appears to have a decisive role in the successful control of the pandemic. The aim of this review was to provide an up-to-date assessment of COVID-19 vaccination acceptance rates worldwide. A systematic search of the peer-reviewed English survey literature indexed in PubMed was done on 25 December 2020. Results from 31 peer-reviewed published studies met the inclusion criteria and formed the basis for the final COVID-19 vaccine acceptance estimates. Survey studies on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates were found from 33 different countries. Among adults representing the general public, the highest COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates were found in Ecuador (97.0%), Malaysia (94.3%), Indonesia (93.3%) and China (91.3%). However, the lowest COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates were found in Kuwait (23.6%), Jordan (28.4%), Italy (53.7), Russia (54.9%), Poland (56.3%), US (56.9%), and France (58.9%). Only eight surveys among healthcare workers (doctors and nurses) were found, with vaccine acceptance rates ranging from 27.7% in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 78.1% in Israel. In the majority of survey studies among the general public stratified per country (29/47, 62%), the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination showed a level of ≥70%. Low rates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance were reported in the Middle East, Russia, Africa and several European countries. This could represent a major problem in the global efforts to control the current COVID-19 pandemic. More studies are recommended to address the scope of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Such studies are particularly needed in the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Middle and South America. Addressing the scope of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in various countries is recommended as an initial step for building trust in COVID-19 vaccination efforts.

scholarly journals Correlates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, hesitancy and refusal among employees of a safety net California county health system with an early and aggressive vaccination program: Results from a cross-sectional survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole M. Gatto ◽  
Jerusha E Lee ◽  
Donatella Massai ◽  
Susanna Zamarripa ◽  
Bijan Sasaninia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Model Building ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Childhood Vaccination ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Job Classification

Information on vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers is needed as health professionals provide front line care to COVID-19 patients. We developed and implemented an anonymous internet-based cross-sectional survey with direct solicitation among employees of a safety net health system. Items queried demographic and health-related characteristics, experience with and knowledge of COVID-19, and determinants of decisions to vaccinate. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance groups (acceptors, hesitant, refusers) were defined; an adapted version of the WHO vaccine hesitancy scale was included. The survey demonstrated good reliability (Cronbachs alpha = 0.92 for vaccine hesitancy scale; 0.93 for determinants). General linear and logistic regression methods examined factors which were univariately associated with vaccine hesitancy and vaccine acceptance, respectively. Multivariable models were constructed with stepwise model-building procedures. Race/ethnicity, marital status, job classification, immunocompromised status, flu vaccination and childhood vaccination opinions independently predicted hesitancy scale scores. Gender, education, job classification and BMI independently predicted acceptance, hesitancy and refusal groups. Among hesitant employees, uncertainty was reflected in reports of motivating factors influencing their indecision. Despite a strong employee-support environment and job protection, respondents reported physical and mental health effects. Appreciation of varied reasons for refusing vaccination should lead to culturally sensitive interventions to increase vaccination rates in healthcare workers.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Healthcare Workers in a United States Medical Center

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle H. Moniz ◽  
Courtney Townsel ◽  
Abram L. Wagner ◽  
Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher ◽  
Sarah Hawley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Vaccine Uptake ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Occupational Characteristics ◽  
To Receive

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prioritized healthcare personnel for the first phase of COVID-19 vaccination in the United States to keep critical healthcare infrastructure open and functioning, but vaccine hesitancy may limit vaccine uptake.ObjectiveTo evaluate vaccine intentions among healthcare workers eligible for COVID-19 vaccination and explore differences by sociodemographic and occupational characteristics.DesignFrom February 1-15, 2021, we conducted a cross-sectional, opt-in online survey at a Midwest U.S. academic healthcare center that began vaccinating employees in December 2020.ParticipantsThe entire employee workforce of the study site was eligible.Main MeasuresCOVID-19 vaccination intention, categorized as Received/Scheduled/ASAP, Not Now, and Not Ever. Logistic regression models to assess the relationship between demographic and occupational characteristics and intention to receive COVID-19 vaccination.Key ResultsMost participants (n=11,387, of 39,259 individual and group email accounts invited) had received or were scheduled to receive the COVID-19 vaccine (n=9081, 79.8%) or planned to receive it as soon as possible (n=546, 4.8%), while fewer were hesitant (Not Now, n=954, 8.4%; Not Ever, n=369, 3.2%). In multivariable logistic regression models predicting vaccine intention, physicians (aOR 22.2, 9.1-54.3), trainees (aOR 5.9, 3.0-11.4), and nurse practitioners/nurse midwives/physician assistants (aOR 1.9, 1.2-3.0) were significantly more likely to demonstrate vaccine acceptance, compared to nurses, whereas other clinical staff were significantly less likely (aOR 0.8, 0.6-0.9). Prior infection with COVID-19, gender, race/ethnicity, and age were all significantly associated with vaccine intention. Overall, 29.6% reported at least one concern about COVID-19 vaccination.ConclusionsIn a large, diverse sample of healthcare workers, over 11% delayed COVID-19 vaccination when it was available to them, with notable variation in vaccine hesitancy across professional roles and demographic groups. Our findings suggest immediate opportunities to empathetically engage those with COVID-19 vaccine concerns and optimize vaccine coverage across our healthcare system.

scholarly journals COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy worldwide: a systematic review of vaccine acceptance rates

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malik Sallam
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
General Public ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
East Russia ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Acceptance Rates

AbstractIntroductionUtility of vaccine campaigns to control coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not merely dependent on vaccine efficacy and safety. Vaccine acceptance among the general public and the healthcare workers, appears to have a decisive role for successful control of the pandemic.AimTo provide an up-to-date assessment of COVID-19 vaccination acceptance rates worldwide.MethodsA systematic search of the peer-reviewed English survey literature indexed in PubMed was done on December 25, 2020. Results from 30 studies, met the inclusion criteria and formed the basis for final COVID-19 vaccine acceptance estimates. Results of an additional recent survey from Jordan and Kuwait was considered in this review as well.ResultsSurvey studies on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates were found from 33 different countries. Among adults representing the general public, the highest COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates were found in Ecuador (97.0%), Malaysia (94.3%), Indonesia (93.3%) and China (91.3%). On the other hand, the lowest COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates were found in Kuwait (23.6%), Jordan (28.4%), Italy (53.7), Russia (54.9%), Poland (56.3%), US (56.9%), and France (58.9%). Only eight surveys among healthcare workers (doctors, nurses) were found, with vaccine acceptance rates ranging from 27.7% in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 78.1% in Israel. In a majority of survey studies among the general public (62%), the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination showed a level of ≥ 70%.ConclusionsLow rates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance were reported in the Middle East, Russia, Africa and several European countries. This could represent a major problem in the global efforts that aim to control the current COVID-19 pandemic. More studies are recommended to address the scope of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Such studies are particularly needed in the Middle East Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Middle and Latin America.Graphical AbstractCOVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates worldwideFor countries with more than one survey study, the vaccine acceptance rate of the latest survey was used in this graph. The estimates were also based on studies from the general population, except in the following cases were no studies from the general public were found (Australia: parents/guardians; DRC: healthcare workers; Hong Kong: healthcare workers; Malta: healthcare workers).

scholarly journals Recent changes in COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily C. O’Brien ◽  
Haolin Xu ◽  
Lauren W. Cohen ◽  
Elizabeth A. Shenkman ◽  
Russell L. Rothman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Worker ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Chi Squared ◽  
Medical Role ◽  
Acceptance Rates

IntroductionEarly COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates suggest that up to one-third of HCWs may be vaccine-hesitant. However, it is unclear whether hesitancy among HCWs has improved with time and if there are temporal changes whether these differ by healthcare worker role.MethodsIn October 2020, a brief survey was sent to all participants in the Healthcare Worker Exposure Response and Outcomes (HERO) Registry with a yes/no question regarding vaccination under emergency use authorization (EUA): “If an FDA emergency use-approved vaccine to prevent coronavirus/COVID-19 was available right now at no cost, would you agree to be vaccinated?” The poll was repeated in December 2020, with the same question sent to all registry participants. Willingness was defined as a “Yes” response, and hesitancy was defined as a “No” response. Participants were stratified into clinical care roles. Baseline demographics of survey respondents at each timepoint were compared using appropriate univariate statistics (chi-squared and t-tests). Analyses were descriptive, with frequencies and percentages reported for each category.ResultsOf 4882 HERO active registry participants during September 1 – October 31, 2020, 2070 (42.4%) completed the October survey, and n=1541 (31.6%) completed the December survey. 70.2% and 67.7% who were in clinical care roles, respectively. In October, 54.2% of HCWs in clinical roles said they would take an EUA-approved vaccine, which increased to 76.2% in December. The largest gain in vaccine willingness was observed among physicians, 64.0% of whom said they would take a vaccine in October, compared with 90.5% in December. Nurses were the least likely to report that they would take a vaccine in both October (46.6%) and December (66.9%). We saw no statistically significant differences in age, race/ethnicity, gender, or medical role between time points. When restricting to the 998 participants who participated at both time points, 69% were vaccine-willing at both time points; 15% were hesitant at both time points, 13% who were hesitant in October were willing in December; and 2.9% who were willing in October were hesitant in December.ConclusionsIn a set of cross-sectional surveys of vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers, willingness improved substantially over 2 calendar months during which the US had a presidential election and two vaccine manufacturers released top-line Phase 3 trial results. While improved willingness was observed in all role categories, nurses reported the most vaccine hesitancy at both time points.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Worldwide: A Systematic Review of Vaccine Acceptance Rates

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malik Sallam
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
General Public ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Vaccination Acceptance ◽  
East Russia ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Acceptance Rates

Utility of vaccine campaigns to control coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not merely dependent on vaccine efficacy and safety. Vaccine acceptance among the general public and the healthcare workers, appears to have a decisive role for successful control of the pandemic. The aim of this review was to provide an up-to-date assessment of COVID-19 vaccination acceptance rates worldwide. A systematic search of the peer-reviewed English survey literature indexed in PubMed was done on December 25, 2020. Results from 30 studies, met the inclusion criteria and formed the basis for final COVID-19 vaccine acceptance estimates. Results of an additional recent survey from Jordan and Kuwait was considered in this review as well. Survey studies on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates were found from 33 different countries. Among adults representing the general public, the highest COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates were found in Ecuador (97.0%), Malaysia (94.3%), Indonesia (93.3%) and China (91.3%). On the other hand, the lowest COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates were found in Kuwait (23.6%), Jordan (28.4%), Italy (53.7), Russia (54.9%), Poland (56.3%), US (56.9%), and France (58.9%). Only eight surveys among healthcare workers (doctors, nurses) were found, with vaccine acceptance rates ranging from 27.7% in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 78.1% in Israel. In a majority of survey studies among the general public (62%), the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination showed a level of ≥ 70%. Low rates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance were reported in the Middle East, Russia, Africa and several European countries. This could represent a major problem in the global efforts that aim to control the current COVID-19 pandemic. More studies are recommended to address the scope of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Such studies are particularly needed in the Middle East Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Middle and Latin America.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Beliefs among Black and Hispanic Americans

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256122
Author(s):  
Katherine Kricorian ◽  
Karin Turner
Keyword(s):  
Race And Ethnicity ◽  
Hispanic Americans ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Tailored Communications ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Racial Ethnic

The introduction of COVID-19 vaccines is a major public health breakthrough. However, members of US Black and Hispanic communities, already disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 virus, may be less willing to receive the vaccine. We conducted a broad, representative survey of US adults (N = 1,950) in order to better understand vaccine beliefs and explore opportunities to increase vaccine acceptance among these groups. The survey results suggested that Black and Hispanic individuals were less willing than Whites to receive the vaccine. US Blacks and Hispanics also planned to delay receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for a longer time period than Whites, potentially further increasing the risk of contracting COVID-19 within populations that are already experiencing high disease prevalence. Black respondents were less likely to want the COVID-19 vaccine at all compared with Whites and Hispanics, and mistrust of the vaccine among Black respondents was significantly higher than other racial/ethnic groups. Encouragingly, many Black and Hispanic respondents reported that COVID-19 vaccine endorsements from same-race medical professionals would increase their willingness to receive it. These respondents said they would also be motivated by receiving more information on the experiences of vaccine study participants who are of their own race and ethnicity. The results have implications for improved messaging of culturally-tailored communications to help reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

scholarly journals Correlates of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance, Hesitancy and Refusal among Employees of a Safety Net California County Health System with an Early and Aggressive Vaccination Program: Results from a Cross-Sectional Survey

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1152
Author(s):  
Nicole M. Gatto ◽  
Jerusha E. Lee ◽  
Donatella Massai ◽  
Susanna Zamarripa ◽  
Bijan Sasaninia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Model Building ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Childhood Vaccination ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Vaccine Acceptance ◽  
Job Classification

Since health professionals provide frontline care to COVID-19 patients, information on vaccine acceptance among healthcare workers is needed. We developed and implemented an anonymous internet-based cross-sectional survey with direct solicitation among employees of a safety net health system. Items queried demographic and health-related characteristics, experience with and knowledge of COVID-19, and determinants of decisions to vaccinate. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance groups (acceptors, hesitant, refusers) were defined; an adapted version of the WHO vaccine hesitancy scale was included. The survey demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.92 for vaccine hesitancy scale; 0.93 for determinants). General linear and logistic regression methods examined factors which were univariately associated with vaccine hesitancy and vaccine acceptance, respectively. Multivariable models were constructed with stepwise model-building procedures. Race/ethnicity, marital status, job classification, immunocompromised status, flu vaccination and childhood vaccination opinions independently predicted hesitancy scale scores. Gender, education, job classification and BMI independently predicted acceptance, hesitancy, and refusal groups. Among hesitant employees, uncertainty was reflected in reports of motivating factors influencing their indecision. Despite a strong employee-support environment and job protection, respondents reported physical and mental health effects. The appreciation of varied reasons for refusing vaccination should lead to culturally sensitive interventions to increase vaccination rates amongst healthcare workers.

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