Trust in Information Sources and COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the important role of trust in information sources in shaping vaccine uptake behavior. This study aimed to examine the relationship between trust in various information sources and COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

Data were analyzed from the April 2021 wave of the Health Reform Monitoring Survey (HRMS). A total of 9067 US adults were included. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess associations between seven different information sources, trust, and vaccine uptake, adjusting for sociodemographic factors.

Trust in personal doctors/healthcare providers was the strongest predictor of COVID-19 vaccine uptake (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.53, p < 0.001), followed by trust in other doctors/community healthcare providers (AOR = 1.40, p < 0.001) and pharmacists (AOR = 1.32, p < 0.001). Non-healthcare information sources, such as social service, neighborhood, or civic organizations (ARO = 1.27, p < 0.001), and local elected officials (AOR = 1.08, p < 0.001), showed weaker associations. Trust in religious leaders and family/friends was associated with a lower likelihood of vaccine uptake (AOR = 0.81, p < 0.001, and AOR = 0.85, p < 0.001, respectively). Older age, higher education, and Hispanic ethnicity were positively linked to COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

Trust in healthcare professionals significantly influences COVID-19 vaccine uptake, whereas trust in non-healthcare sources plays a more limited role. Religious leaders' and family/friends' influence was minimal. Building and maintaining trust in healthcare providers is crucial for promoting vaccine acceptance, particularly amid widespread misinformation and political polarization. Public health efforts should prioritize improving healthcare provider-patient communication, utilizing trusted healthcare figures as role models, and implementing culturally tailored interventions to address hesitancy among marginalized groups.