COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and reasons for or against adherence among dentists

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has spread widely among health care workers. Oral health care workers have an increased risk of infection due to dental practice characteristics. New effective vaccines against COVID-19 recently began to be inoculated. We aimed to evaluate the intentions to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in a population of dentists, identifying factors associated with their intentions. Methods An anonymous online survey was conducted among 761 dentists enrolled at the Board of Physicians and Dentists of the District of Monza Brianza. It collected data on demographic characteristics, flu vaccine uptake, COVID-19 history, vaccine attitudes, and specific reasons for intending to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or not. Results Overall, 421 dentists completed the survey. More than 82% of the participants declared their intent to be vaccinated against coronavirus. The multivariate logistic regression model reported a positive association with flu vaccine uptake in the current season (OR 5.15, 2.14–12.39) and a negative association with a previous COVID-19 diagnosis (OR 0.32, 0.15–0.66). The participants’ main reason for supporting vaccination was to protect their family and friends (87%), whereas their main reason for opposing vaccination was the lack of information (39%). Conclusions It is fundamental to consider vaccine hesitancy in health care workers and face it properly since they must provide recommendations to patients and promote adherence to vaccination programs.