National Study Highlights Possible Path to COVID-19 Population Immunity, Challenged by Differences within Demographic Groups

Study reveals significant differences across populations--such as Black, Hispanic, low-income, and conservative Americans--in trust and vaccination intention

Study finds that emphasis on safety and effectiveness, supporting loved ones, and community responsibility are most effective ways to drive uptake to reach population immunity levels

First in series of tracking studies over six months to assess evolution in vaccine attitudes in the American public, including Black and Hispanic populations, as the vaccine rolls out to an estimated 300 million Americans by the end of the summer

News provided by

COVID Collaborative

Feb 12, 2021, 00:01 ET

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A study released today by COVID Collaborative reveals that enough Americans (71%) are favorably inclined to get vaccinated or have already been vaccinated to reach the minimum vaccination level considered desirable to achieve population immunity and stop the pandemic. These results highlight the need to both remove impediments to get inclined Americans vaccinated, as well as encourage disinclined Americans, as quickly as possible.

The study, conducted between January 15-25, 2021, finds significant divisions in intended uptake within racial/ethnic, political, geographic, and education attainment subgroups. The study also used statistical modeling to identify the four leading predictors of uptake that, when targeted, can help address these challenges.

Seven in 10 whites and Hispanics are inclined to get the vaccine or already have done so compared to six in 10 Black people; 83% of Democrats, 70% of independents, and only 58% of Republicans; 73% of suburban and 72% of urban residents compared to 63% of rural residents; and 84% among college graduates compared to 64% among those without a four-year degree.

Among Americans who have not ruled out vaccination, just 51% say they will aim to get the vaccine as soon as its available to them. The rest plan to wait a few weeks (13%), a few months (16%) or longer (19%). This "wait-and-see" attitude—where most of the attention on increasing uptake must be focused—is most pronounced amongst Black people (61%); Republicans (57%); those who have not gone beyond high school (57%); and rural Americans (56%).

Modeling done through the study shows that the strongest predictor of uptake is perception that the vaccine is safe and effective, followed by a belief among people that others close to them want them to take the vaccine. The understanding that getting the vaccine is more of a social need than a personal preference is the third strongest indicator, while perceived personal risk of getting COVID-19 rounds out the list of four.

The wait-and-see attitude is strongest among those who lack trust in safety (95%) and efficacy (93%), and who feel little or no social encouragement (91%). Trust in safety and efficacy, the biggest predictor of vaccine uptake, is considerably lower among Black people, Republicans, conservatives, independents, moderates, and those without college degrees when compared to whites, Hispanics, Democrats, liberals, and college graduates.

To promote uptake, the study finds that the most trusted source of information is one's own healthcare provider, with 64% completely or mostly trusting their provider to give them advice on vaccines. The next most trusted are family members, completed or mostly trusted on the subject by 50% overall.

This survey is the first in a monthly series of tracking studies that COVID Collaborative and Langer Research Associates will conduct over the next six months of the pandemic as the vaccine is made available to an estimated half of the American population. This will facilitate trend analysis of the four vaccine uptake predictors and how effectively media and communications strategies are addressing them.

COVID Collaborative is a national assembly that has brought together experts and institutions across health, education, and the economy to support state and local responses to the pandemic. State and local leaders, as well as leading institutions, contributed to the development of the survey instrument used for this study. COVID Collaborative has donated the survey's cross-tabulated data, dataset and other supporting materials to open-access the Societal Action Experts Network (SEAN) Survey Archive; search for "COVID Collaborative" in the Project field.

View the results of the study at https://www.covidcollaborative.us/content/vaccine-treatments/monthly-vaccine-attitude-pulse-surveys.

SOURCE COVID Collaborative