COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among HCWs in academic hospitals

Editor's Note

This study led by researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia examines COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers (HCWs) at two large academic hospitals in Philadelphia.

A total of 5,929 HCWs were surveyed, including 2,253 MDs and DOs, 582 nurse practitioners (NPs), 158 physician assistants (PAs),  and 2,936 nurses.

Among the findings:

• 47.3% of nurses were vaccine hesitant
• 30% of NPs and PAs were vaccine hesitant
• 13.1% of MDs and DOs were vaccine hesitant.

The most common reasons for vaccine hesitancy were:

• concerns about side effects
• newness of the vaccines
• lack of vaccine knowledge.

Regardless of healthcare position, Black HCWs were more hesitant and Whites, and females were more hesitant than males.

The findings highlight the importance of understanding and effectively addressing the reasons for hesitancy among frontline HCWs, the authors say.