A study from April 2021 sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation revealed some startling facts about ways we are missing the mark to address vaccine hesitancy among adults aged 18-64.
- One in five adults (20 percent) revealed they were eligible for a vaccine but had not tried to get one.
- Two-thirds of these reported they had a personal health care provider (physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant), and of those, 73% reported trusting their providers about information regarding the vaccine. Nearly all of these trusted providers were in primary care settings.
- Only 19 percent had ever received information about the vaccines from their providers.
This gap between the percentage of unvaccinated adults who trust you, versus those who received information about the vaccines from you is a wonderful opportunity to address vaccine hesitancy and improve vaccination rates. You will listen to their concerns, discuss the risks and benefits, and share in decision-making with your individual patient.
This survey showed the most common concerns to be:
- potential long-term side effects
- how fast the vaccines were developed, and
- how well the vaccine protected people from the virus.
Nearly half reported lack of trust in the government or pharmaceutical companies and 44 percent did not believe they needed a vaccine.
If you do not give the vaccine at your location, you can find out the closest resource (and lots of educational materials) for your patients by entering their zip code here: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/vaccines
As of July 26th, 2021, only 40% of eligible adults in North Carolina are vaccinated, and the percent of positive cases continues to rise in our state, currently greater than 10%.
According to Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, getting people vaccinated is the quickest way out of the pandemic. You deserve the trust your patients have placed in you. Help save a life!
