Religious Service Attendance, COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes, and COVID-19 Vaccination Status: A Vaccine Safety Datalink Member Survey, 2022–2023

Introduction: The intersections of religion and vaccination became visible early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, initial pandemic data reporting associations between religiosity and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is nearly 5 years old and has methodologic limitations. The aim of this study was to examine...

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Main Authors: Joshua T.B. Williams, MD, Kate Kurlandsky, BA, Kristin Breslin, MPH, Hannah Cruz, MPH, Amy Stein, PhD, Jo Ann Shoup, PhD, Liza M. Reifler, MPH, Matthew F. Daley, MD, Bruno Lewin, MD, DTMH, Kristin Goddard, MPH, Michelle L. Henninger, PhD, Jennifer C. Nelson, PhD, Gabriela Vazquez-Benitez, PhD, MSC, Kayla E. Hanson, MPH, Candace C. Fuller, PhD, MPH, Simon J. Hambidge, MD, PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-10-01
Series:AJPM Focus
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773065425000926
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author Joshua T.B. Williams, MD
Kate Kurlandsky, BA
Kristin Breslin, MPH
Hannah Cruz, MPH
Amy Stein, PhD
Jo Ann Shoup, PhD
Liza M. Reifler, MPH
Matthew F. Daley, MD
Bruno Lewin, MD, DTMH
Kristin Goddard, MPH
Michelle L. Henninger, PhD
Jennifer C. Nelson, PhD
Gabriela Vazquez-Benitez, PhD, MSC
Kayla E. Hanson, MPH
Candace C. Fuller, PhD, MPH
Simon J. Hambidge, MD, PhD
author_facet Joshua T.B. Williams, MD
Kate Kurlandsky, BA
Kristin Breslin, MPH
Hannah Cruz, MPH
Amy Stein, PhD
Jo Ann Shoup, PhD
Liza M. Reifler, MPH
Matthew F. Daley, MD
Bruno Lewin, MD, DTMH
Kristin Goddard, MPH
Michelle L. Henninger, PhD
Jennifer C. Nelson, PhD
Gabriela Vazquez-Benitez, PhD, MSC
Kayla E. Hanson, MPH
Candace C. Fuller, PhD, MPH
Simon J. Hambidge, MD, PhD
author_sort Joshua T.B. Williams, MD
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: The intersections of religion and vaccination became visible early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, initial pandemic data reporting associations between religiosity and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is nearly 5 years old and has methodologic limitations. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between religious service attendance, COVID-19 attitudes, and COVID-19 vaccination at the midpoint of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Methods: A survey of Vaccine Safety Datalink members, purposefully sampled by race, ethnicity, language, and pregnancy status (N=2,856), was administered from November 2022 through February 2023. Data were analyzed through weighting and multivariable logistic regression. Results: Overall, 960 people (33%) responded; 22.8% (95% CI=15.2%, 30.3%) identified as Catholic, and 21.7% (95% CI=14.6%, 28.9%) identified as just Christian. Overall, 28.1% (95% CI=19.4%, 36.8%) reported never attending services, whereas 19.0% (95% CI=12.3%, 25.7%) attended weekly or more often. Compared with never attending services, religious service attendance weekly or more often was associated with increasing bivalent COVID-19 Omicron booster vaccine hesitancy (p<0.01) and decreasing trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccine information (p=0.033). Self-reported COVID-19 vaccination ever (AOR=0.65; 95% CI=0.23, 1.84) or any bivalent COVID-19 Omicron booster vaccination (AOR=0.36; 95% CI=0.06, 2.20) were not associated with religious service attendance weekly or more often, compared with never attending services. Conclusions: Observed associations between religious service attendance, vaccine attitudes, and trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourage meaningfully redefining public health and faith community partnerships oriented toward COVID-19–related education and disease prevention.
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spelling doaj-art-e0ec95eb9be04514a2873a02f028da062025-08-24T05:15:35ZengElsevierAJPM Focus2773-06542025-10-014510040410.1016/j.focus.2025.100404Religious Service Attendance, COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes, and COVID-19 Vaccination Status: A Vaccine Safety Datalink Member Survey, 2022–2023Joshua T.B. Williams, MD0Kate Kurlandsky, BA1Kristin Breslin, MPH2Hannah Cruz, MPH3Amy Stein, PhD4Jo Ann Shoup, PhD5Liza M. Reifler, MPH6Matthew F. Daley, MD7Bruno Lewin, MD, DTMH8Kristin Goddard, MPH9Michelle L. Henninger, PhD10Jennifer C. Nelson, PhD11Gabriela Vazquez-Benitez, PhD, MSC12Kayla E. Hanson, MPH13Candace C. Fuller, PhD, MPH14Simon J. Hambidge, MD, PhD15Ambulatory Care Services, Denver Health and Hospitals, Denver, Colorado; Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; Address correspondence to: Joshua T. B. Williams, MD, Ambulatory Care Services, Denver Health and Hospitals, 301 W. 6th Avenue, MC 1911, Denver CO 80204.Ambulatory Care Services, Denver Health and Hospitals, Denver, ColoradoAmbulatory Care Services, Denver Health and Hospitals, Denver, ColoradoAmbulatory Care Services, Denver Health and Hospitals, Denver, ColoradoAmbulatory Care Services, Denver Health and Hospitals, Denver, ColoradoInstitute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, ColoradoInstitute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, ColoradoDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado; Institute for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Aurora, ColoradoKaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CaliforniaKaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center, Oakland, CaliforniaCenter for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Portland, OregonHealth Research Institute, Kaiser Permanente Washington, Seattle, WashingtonHealthPartners Institute, Minneapolis, MinnesotaMarshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, WisconsinDepartment of Population Medicine, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MassachusettsAmbulatory Care Services, Denver Health and Hospitals, Denver, Colorado; Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, ColoradoIntroduction: The intersections of religion and vaccination became visible early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, initial pandemic data reporting associations between religiosity and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is nearly 5 years old and has methodologic limitations. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between religious service attendance, COVID-19 attitudes, and COVID-19 vaccination at the midpoint of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Methods: A survey of Vaccine Safety Datalink members, purposefully sampled by race, ethnicity, language, and pregnancy status (N=2,856), was administered from November 2022 through February 2023. Data were analyzed through weighting and multivariable logistic regression. Results: Overall, 960 people (33%) responded; 22.8% (95% CI=15.2%, 30.3%) identified as Catholic, and 21.7% (95% CI=14.6%, 28.9%) identified as just Christian. Overall, 28.1% (95% CI=19.4%, 36.8%) reported never attending services, whereas 19.0% (95% CI=12.3%, 25.7%) attended weekly or more often. Compared with never attending services, religious service attendance weekly or more often was associated with increasing bivalent COVID-19 Omicron booster vaccine hesitancy (p<0.01) and decreasing trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for COVID-19 or COVID-19 vaccine information (p=0.033). Self-reported COVID-19 vaccination ever (AOR=0.65; 95% CI=0.23, 1.84) or any bivalent COVID-19 Omicron booster vaccination (AOR=0.36; 95% CI=0.06, 2.20) were not associated with religious service attendance weekly or more often, compared with never attending services. Conclusions: Observed associations between religious service attendance, vaccine attitudes, and trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourage meaningfully redefining public health and faith community partnerships oriented toward COVID-19–related education and disease prevention.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773065425000926COVID-19vaccinereligionreligious service attendancevaccine hesitancy
spellingShingle Joshua T.B. Williams, MD
Kate Kurlandsky, BA
Kristin Breslin, MPH
Hannah Cruz, MPH
Amy Stein, PhD
Jo Ann Shoup, PhD
Liza M. Reifler, MPH
Matthew F. Daley, MD
Bruno Lewin, MD, DTMH
Kristin Goddard, MPH
Michelle L. Henninger, PhD
Jennifer C. Nelson, PhD
Gabriela Vazquez-Benitez, PhD, MSC
Kayla E. Hanson, MPH
Candace C. Fuller, PhD, MPH
Simon J. Hambidge, MD, PhD
Religious Service Attendance, COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes, and COVID-19 Vaccination Status: A Vaccine Safety Datalink Member Survey, 2022–2023
AJPM Focus
COVID-19
vaccine
religion
religious service attendance
vaccine hesitancy
title Religious Service Attendance, COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes, and COVID-19 Vaccination Status: A Vaccine Safety Datalink Member Survey, 2022–2023
title_full Religious Service Attendance, COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes, and COVID-19 Vaccination Status: A Vaccine Safety Datalink Member Survey, 2022–2023
title_fullStr Religious Service Attendance, COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes, and COVID-19 Vaccination Status: A Vaccine Safety Datalink Member Survey, 2022–2023
title_full_unstemmed Religious Service Attendance, COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes, and COVID-19 Vaccination Status: A Vaccine Safety Datalink Member Survey, 2022–2023
title_short Religious Service Attendance, COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes, and COVID-19 Vaccination Status: A Vaccine Safety Datalink Member Survey, 2022–2023
title_sort religious service attendance covid 19 vaccine attitudes and covid 19 vaccination status a vaccine safety datalink member survey 2022 2023
topic COVID-19
vaccine
religion
religious service attendance
vaccine hesitancy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773065425000926
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