Press Ganey COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Research Finds Black/African American Patients Far Less Willing Than Asian or White Patients to Get the Vaccine

Feedback from more than 100,000 consumers reveals gaps in acceptance across race, age, and gender.

BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Press Ganey today released its newest data insights paper, Vaccine Hesitancy and Acceptance: Data Segmentation Helps Address Barriers. Surveys administered to patients of 600 medical practices utilized Press Ganey’s proprietary COVID-19 question module to assess consumers’ likelihood to accept a COVID-19 vaccine. Analyses of the more than 100,000 responses received during a 14-week period found that the number of patients reporting their willingness to get the vaccine has risen over recent months, but a deeper dive into patient attitudes and behaviors by race, age, and gender uncovers major gaps in vaccination acceptance.

Key findings include the following.

• Patients are increasingly likely to accept a vaccine, but clear gaps across races exist, with Black/African American patients far less likely than Asian or white patients to accept the vaccine.
• Patients rely more heavily on the advice of their individual providers than on guidance from the government. This is particularly evident in the Black/African American community.
• AI-based analyses of patient comments show safety emerging as a top concern, in both the testing process and rigor, as well as safe handling of the vaccine prior to administration.

“National rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations is providing much-needed light at the end of this horrendous tunnel,” said Patrick T. Ryan, Chairman and CEO, Press Ganey. “It is imperative that we engage all members of our communities in vaccination programs, and we must keep in mind that each individual’s path to vaccine acceptance is shaped by their cultural and life experiences. To close vaccination-readiness gaps, health care providers must understand and address patient concerns and questions at the individual, community, and population levels.”

The white paper, Vaccine Hesitancy and Acceptance: Data Segmentation Helps Address Barriers, includes best-practice recommendations and is available for download.

Press Ganey offers several COVID-specific survey modules to gather patient feedback on the testing process, vaccine readiness, and the vaccination experience, as well as a module for gathering insights from the health care workforce. To learn more about these options, contact Press Ganey.

About Press Ganey

Press Ganey pioneered the health care performance improvement movement 35 years ago. Today Press Ganey offers an integrated suite of solutions that enable enterprise transformation across the patient journey. Delivered through a cutting-edge digital platform built on a foundation of data security, Press Ganey solutions address safety, clinical excellence, patient experience, and workforce engagement. The company works with more than 41,000 health care facilities in its mission to reduce patient suffering and enhance caregiver resilience to improve the overall safety, quality, and experience of care.

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Jayme Maniatis, 781-684-0770