NYMC Faculty Publications

Understanding Vaccine Hesitancy at Montefiore Medical Center: Implications for Public Health Preparedness

Author Type(s)

Faculty

DOI

10.1017/dmp.2025.55

Journal Title

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-20-2025

Department

Public Health

Second Department

Medicine

Keywords

COVID-19 vaccine, Demographic factors, Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), Healthcare workers, Influenza vaccination, Medical mistrust, Montefiore Medical Center, Public health preparedness, Racial disparities, Vaccine hesitancy

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

Objective Vaccine hesitancy among health care workers poses significant challenges to public health, particularly during times of crisis. This study investigates the factors influencing vaccine hesitancy among health care workers at Montefiore Medical Center, NY, with the aim of providing valuable insights to help shape and enhance future public health vaccination campaigns. Methods Utilizing Montefiore's HER (Epic system) data from 2021-2023, linear logistic and multiple regression analyses were performed to assess correlations between demographic variables - such as age, race/ethnicity, job category, and county of residence - and vaccine uptake for both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. Data were sourced from EPIC and Cority employee datasets. Missing demographic data were imputed where possible. The study population comprises a diverse workforce of 21 331 health care workers, encompassing a wide range of clinical and non-clinical roles. Results Key predictors of vaccine hesitancy included prior influenza vaccination status, age, race/ethnicity, job title, and county of residence. Workers vaccinated against influenza were 6.2% more likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Younger health care workers and racial groups like Black and biracial employees demonstrated higher levels of hesitancy, while Asian workers exhibited higher rates of vaccine acceptance. Conclusions Tailored communication strategies and educational programs are critical for addressing vaccine hesitancy, particularly among younger health care workers and specific racial groups. Building trust and improving transparency will be essential to increasing vaccine uptake and achieving broader public health objectives.

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