COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes Shaped by Trust in Public Health Officials

Strategic Insights -

A new study on COVID-19 vaccination attitudes among university students in New York State has found that trust in public health officials plays a significant role in shaping students' decisions. The research, conducted by Pace University, included a representative sample of 233 private university undergraduates who completed a cross-sectional online survey. The study identified factors associated with trust in public health officials, including demographics, socio-economic status, and personal concerns.

Key Takeaways:

  • The majority of participants (76%) reported high trust in public health officials, with women five times as likely and White students 60% less likely to report high levels of trust compared to men and non-White students, respectively.
  • Students who did not report religious concerns and those who were not concerned about long-term side-effects of COVID-19 vaccination were three times and four times as likely, respectively, to report high levels of trust in public health officials.
  • The study found that trust in public health officials was not related to vaccine hesitancy or medical mistrust.
  • The researchers recommended targeted messaging on vaccine safety and effectiveness, particularly for men, White students, students with religious concerns, and students with low trust in institutions and leaders recommending vaccination.
  • Statistics:

* 73% of participants were women.

* 47% of participants were White.

* 76% of participants reported high trust in public health officials.

* Women were 5 times as likely to report high trust in public health officials (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 4.5, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0-10.3).

* White students had 60% reduced odds of reporting high levels of trust in public health officials (aOR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.9).

* Students not reporting religious concerns were 3 times as likely (aOR = 3.4; 95% CI: 1.5-7.9) to report high levels of trust in public health officials.

* Students not concerned about long-term side-effects of COVID-19 vaccination were 4 times as likely (aOR = 3.5; 95% CI: 1.4-8.8) to report high levels of trust in public health officials.

Sources:

  • Vaccine. 2025;63:127610. (Elsevier Sci Ltd)
  • NewsRx. New COVID-19 Study Findings Reported from Pace University (Correlates of higher trust in public health officials: results from a representative cohort of private university undergraduates). Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA. September 7, 2025; p 43.