IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i2p644-d719287.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Closing the Gap on COVID-19 Vaccinations in First Responders and Beyond: Increasing Trust

Author

Listed:
  • Megan E. Gregory

    (Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
    The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research (CATALYST), College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Sarah R. MacEwan

    (The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research (CATALYST), College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Alice A. Gaughan

    (The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research (CATALYST), College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Laura J. Rush

    (The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research (CATALYST), College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Jonathan R. Powell

    (National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
    Division of Epidemiology, The Ohio State University College of Public Health, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Jordan D. Kurth

    (National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Eben Kenah

    (Division of Biostatistics, The Ohio State University College of Public Health, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Ashish R. Panchal

    (National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
    Division of Epidemiology, The Ohio State University College of Public Health, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
    Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

  • Ann Scheck McAlearney

    (Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
    The Center for the Advancement of Team Science, Analytics, and Systems Thinking in Health Services and Implementation Science Research (CATALYST), College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
    Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA)

Abstract

Although COVID-19 vaccines are widely available in the U.S. and much of the world, many have chosen to forgo this vaccination. Emergency medical services (EMS) professionals, despite their role on the frontlines and interactions with COVID-positive patients, are not immune to vaccine hesitancy. Via a survey conducted in April 2021, we investigated the extent to which first responders in the U.S. trusted various information sources to provide reliable information about COVID-19 vaccines. Those vaccinated generally trusted healthcare providers as a source of information, but unvaccinated first responders had fairly low trust in this information source—a group to which they, themselves, belong. Additionally, regardless of vaccination status, trust in all levels of government, employers, and their community as sources of information was low. Free-response explanations provided some context to these findings, such as preference for other COVID-19 management options, including drugs proven ineffective. A trusted source of COVID-19 vaccination information is not readily apparent. Individuals expressed a strong desire for the autonomy to make vaccination decisions for themselves, as opposed to mandates. Potential reasons for low trust, possible solutions to address them, generalizability to the broader public, and implications of low trust in official institutions are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Megan E. Gregory & Sarah R. MacEwan & Alice A. Gaughan & Laura J. Rush & Jonathan R. Powell & Jordan D. Kurth & Eben Kenah & Ashish R. Panchal & Ann Scheck McAlearney, 2022. "Closing the Gap on COVID-19 Vaccinations in First Responders and Beyond: Increasing Trust," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:2:p:644-:d:719287
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/2/644/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/2/644/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nicky Phillips, 2021. "The coronavirus is here to stay — here’s what that means," Nature, Nature, vol. 590(7846), pages 382-384, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ann Scheck McAlearney & Alice A. Gaughan & Sarah R. MacEwan & Megan E. Gregory & Laura J. Rush & Jaclyn Volney & Ashish R. Panchal, 2022. "Pandemic Experience of First Responders: Fear, Frustration, and Stress," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-12, April.
    2. Alice A. Gaughan & Laura J. Rush & Sarah R. MacEwan & Ashish R. Panchal & Ann Scheck McAlearney, 2022. "Perspectives of Volunteer Firefighters during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Stumbling Blocks and Silver Linings," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-12, September.
    3. Hein de Vries & Wouter Verputten & Christian Preissner & Gerjo Kok, 2022. "COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: The Role of Information Sources and Beliefs in Dutch Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-17, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carol Nash, 2022. "Enhancing Hopeful Resilience Regarding Depression and Anxiety with a Narrative Method of Ordering Memory Effective in Researchers Experiencing Burnout," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, June.
    2. Bradley, Jake & Ruggieri, Alessandro & Spencer, Adam Hal, 2021. "Twin Peaks: Covid-19 and the labor market," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    3. Martin Hellwig & Viola Priesemann & Guntram B. Wolff, 2021. "Reducing the Mobility of SARS-CoV-2 Variants to Safeguard Containments," Intereconomics: Review of European Economic Policy, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics;Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), vol. 56(4), pages 234-236, July.
    4. Holger Strulik & Volker Grossmann, 2022. "Life Cycle Economics with Infectious and Chronic Diseases," CESifo Working Paper Series 10141, CESifo.
    5. Weichen Wang & Andrea Gurgone & Humberto Martínez & Maria Cristina Barbieri Góes & Ettore Gallo & Ádam Kerényi & Enrico Maria Turco & Carla Coburger & Pêdra D. S. Andrade, 2022. "COVID-19 Mortality and Economic Losses: The Role of Policies and Structural Conditions," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-28, August.
    6. Maureen Rebecca Smith & Maria Trofimova & Ariane Weber & Yannick Duport & Denise Kühnert & Max von Kleist, 2021. "Rapid incidence estimation from SARS-CoV-2 genomes reveals decreased case detection in Europe during summer 2020," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    7. Mohamed Fareh & Wei Zhao & Wenxin Hu & Joshua M. L. Casan & Amit Kumar & Jori Symons & Jennifer M. Zerbato & Danielle Fong & Ilia Voskoboinik & Paul G. Ekert & Rajeev Rudraraju & Damian F. J. Purcell , 2021. "Reprogrammed CRISPR-Cas13b suppresses SARS-CoV-2 replication and circumvents its mutational escape through mismatch tolerance," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, December.
    8. Patrick Mellacher, 2022. "Endogenous viral mutations, evolutionary selection, and containment policy design," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 17(3), pages 801-825, July.
    9. Schroeder, Max & Lazarakis, Spyridon & Mancy, Rebecca & Angelopoulos, Konstantinos, 2023. "An extended period of elevated influenza mortality risk follows the main waves of influenza pandemics," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 328(C).
    10. Pengxiang Zhai & Fei Wu & Qiang Ji & Duc Khuong Nguyen, 2024. "From fears to recession? Time‐frequency risk contagion among stock and credit default swap markets during the COVID pandemic," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(1), pages 551-580, January.
    11. E. Melinda Mahabee-Gittens & Angelico Mendy & Ashley L. Merianos, 2021. "Assessment of Severe COVID-19 Outcomes Using Measures of Smoking Status and Smoking Intensity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-9, August.
    12. Kelsey M. Haas & Michael J. McGregor & Mehdi Bouhaddou & Benjamin J. Polacco & Eun-Young Kim & Thong T. Nguyen & Billy W. Newton & Matthew Urbanowski & Heejin Kim & Michael A. P. Williams & Veronica V, 2023. "Proteomic and genetic analyses of influenza A viruses identify pan-viral host targets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-27, December.
    13. Teixeira, João Filipe & Silva, Cecília & Moura e Sá, Frederico, 2022. "The strengths and weaknesses of bike sharing as an alternative mode during disruptive public health crisis: A qualitative analysis on the users’ motivations during COVID-19," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 24-37.
    14. Shameena Gill & Alia Maisara Adenan & Adli Ali & Noor Akmal Shareela Ismail, 2022. "Living through the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact and Lessons on Dietary Behavior and Physical Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-23, January.
    15. Grégory Claeys & Zsolt Darvas & Maria Demertzis & Guntram B. Wolff, 2021. "The Great COVID-19 Divergence: Managing a Sustainable and Equitable Recovery in the EU," Intereconomics: Review of European Economic Policy, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics;Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), vol. 56(4), pages 211-219, July.
    16. Stoler, Justin & Klofstad, Casey A. & Enders, Adam M. & Uscinski, Joseph E., 2022. "Sociopolitical and psychological correlates of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the United States during summer 2021," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    17. V. Vineeth Kumar & Bhagyasree Chatterjee & Geetika Tankha, 2021. "The Development and Validation of a Measure to Assess COVID-19 Stress among College Students for Sustainable Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-15, September.
    18. Dong-Shang Chang & Wei-De Wu, 2021. "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Tourism Industry: Applying TRIZ and DEMATEL to Construct a Decision-Making Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-28, July.
    19. Paul Lehmann & Silke Beck & Mariana Madruga de Brito & Erik Gawel & Matthias Groß & Annegret Haase & Robert Lepenies & Danny Otto & Johannes Schiller & Sebastian Strunz & Daniela Thrän, 2021. "Environmental Sustainability Post-COVID-19: Scrutinizing Popular Hypotheses from a Social Science Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-21, August.
    20. Victoria Fonzi & Kiran Thapa & Kishor Luitel & Heather Padilla & Curt Harris & M. Mahmud Khan & Glen Nowak & Janani Rajbhandari-Thapa, 2021. "Using Influenza Vaccination Location Data from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to Expand COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-10, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:2:p:644-:d:719287. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.