COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Uptake among Firefighters: An Application of the Health Belief Model.

Objective: To assess COVID-19 vaccination prevalence and explore whether health beliefs were associated with vaccination among firefighters.
Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was distributed to Minnesota firefighters in March - April 2022. Survey questions included demographics, vaccination status, and beliefs about COVID-19 and vaccines.
Results: Of the survey respondents (N = 974, 91% male, 89% White), 76% were fully vaccinated and 53% were boosted. Firefighters were less likely to be vaccinated if they reported more perceived barriers (OR = 0.42, p < .001), greater decision-making ease (OR = 0.42, p < .001), and greater autonomy (OR = 0.65, p = .04). Greater perceived benefits (OR = 2.63, p < .001) and social norms (OR = 2.10, p < .001) were associated with a greater likelihood of being vaccinated. Similar results were seen predicting booster status.
Conclusions: Firefighters had similar vaccination rates as the general population, despite high exposure risks. Health beliefs are strongly related to vaccination status.
Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: None declared
(Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)