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Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy · Journal article
The Journal of Immunology · July 28, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This cross-sectional survey of 7,711 healthcare and non-healthcare workers documents that vaccine misconceptions remain common even among healthcare professionals, despite generally better accuracy than non-healthcare workers. Healthcare workers showed lower agreement with a false statement linking mercury in measles vaccine to autism (weighted mean 1.97 vs. 2.35, p=0.05), yet 32% still endorsed incorrect vaccine claims, suggesting gaps in vaccine literacy education.
Cross-sectional anonymous survey. Healthcare and science workers (HCW/S) and non-healthcare workers (NHCW); specific clinical roles, institutions, and eligibility criteria not described.. Compared with: Non-healthcare workers (NHCW) as reference group for vaccine knowledge comparisons. n = 7,711.
Healthcare workers had lower weighted mean score for mercury-autism misconception (1.97 vs. 2.35; p=0.05) compared to non-healthcare workers 32% of healthcare workers selected agree, strongly agree, or neither for factually incorrect mercury-autism statement 33% of healthcare workers believed the influenza vaccine can cause influenza
Safety was not reported in the material analysed. Check the source before drawing any conclusion about harm.
Healthcare professionals should recognize that vaccine misconceptions are prevalent even within their own ranks, suggesting a need for strengthened immunology and vaccine literacy education in clinical training and continuing education programs. This finding underscores the importance of evidence-based communication strategies to counter vaccine misinformation.
Cross-sectional survey documenting vaccine misconceptions among healthcare workers with no intervention, control group, or outcome comparison; identifies a problem but lacks evidence of solution efficacy or mechanisms.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
Healthcare professionals should recognize that vaccine misconceptions are prevalent even within their own ranks, suggesting a need for strengthened immunology and vaccine literacy education in clinical training and continuing education programs. This finding underscores the importance of evidence-based communication strategies to counter vaccine misinformation.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Abstract Introduction Despite vaccination being one of the most effective public-health interventions, vaccine confidence has recently declined. Widespread misinformation and reduced trust in public health agencies have created challenges for those in healthcare. Perceived gaps in federal communication further complicate clinical and educational information-seeking. As institutional credibility is questioned, healthcare professionals rely on fragmented online sources that amplify uncertainty and misinformation. Polling data show that parents report trusting non-medical influencers (i.e. Joe Rogan, RFK Jr., and the Children’s Defense Fund) for critical children’s health information. The politicization of science underscores the urgent need to strengthen immunology and vaccine literacy education across clinical training and healthcare professionals. Methods We conducted an IRB-approved, anonymous assessment (n = 7711) across those employed in healthcare/science (HCW/S) and non-healthcare workers (NHCW). Results Results showed that although HCW/S generally held more accurate vaccine perceptions than NHCW, misconceptions remained common. For the statement, “There is evidence that the mercury in the measles vaccine can cause autism”, HCW had a lower weighted mean score (1.97 vs. 2.35; n = 7711; p = 0.05). However, 32% still selected strongly agree, agree, or neither agree nor disagree, despite this statement being factually incorrect. Similar analyses were observed across other statements, including 33% of HCW believing the influenza vaccine can cause influenza. Conclusion Vaccine education rooted in core immunologic concepts and communication literacy is critical amid declining trust in traditional public-health authorities. Strengthening immunology curricula, CMEs, CEUs, role playing, discussions, etc. are critical to ensure that healthcare professionals can critically evaluate evidence, identify reliable sources, and counter misinformation to sustain a scientifically informed workforce. Funding Source n/a Topic Categories Immunology Education and Communication (EDU)
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