Family Physicians' Perception of the New mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines

Samuel Ofei-Dodoo; Rick Kellerman; Taylor Russell

doi:10.3122/jabfm.2021.05.210052

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Appendix.
Survey of Family Physicians and mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines

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Table 1.

Respondent Characteristics (N = 307)

Characteristics	All Respondents
Biological sex at birth, n (%)	(n = 286)
Male	157 (54.9)
Female	129 (45.1)
Age	(n = 280)
Mean ± SD, y	46.6 ± 13.1
Median	44
Minimum	26
Maximum	85
Career status, n (%)	(n = 292)
Practicing family physician	223 (76.4)
Full-time faculty	31 (10.6)
Resident-physicians	38 (13.0)
Practicing physician/full-time faculty years in clinical practice	(n = 252)
Mean ± SD, y	17.0 ± 12.1
Median	15
Minimum	<1
Maximum	57
Medical trainees, n (%)	(n = 37)
First-year residents	14 (37.8)
Second-year residents	10 (27.0)
Third-year residents	13 (35.1)
Kansas county where the physicians primarily practiced, n (%)	(n = 284)
Butler	14 (4.9)
Douglas	6 (2.1)
Ford	5 (1.8)
Harvey	10 (3.5)
McPherson	11 (3.9)
Riley	6 (2.1)
Saline	14 (4.9)
Sedgwick	132 (46.5)
Other	86 (30.3)
Received a positive COVID-19 test or diagnosed with COVID-19, n (%)	(n = 306)
Yes	35 (11.4)
No	270 (88.2)
I don't know	1 (0.4)
Intend to be vaccinated with an approved mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, n (%)
Yes	278 (90.6)
No	5 (1.6)
Maybe	24 (7.8)
Recommend an approved mRNA COVID-19 vaccine to family, no (%)	(n = 296)
Yes	268 (90.5)
No	6 (2.0)
Maybe	22 (7.4)
Recommend an approved mRNA COVID-19 vaccine to patients, no (%)	(n = 293)
Yes	278 (94.9)
No	0 (0)
Maybe	15 (5.1)

SD, standard deviation.

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Table 2.

Respondents' Concerns About the COVID-19 Infection (N = 307)

Level of Concern	All Respondents
Physicians' concern about personally becoming infected with COVID-19, n (%)
Extremely concerned	77 (25.1)
Moderately concerned	147 (47.9)
Somewhat concerned	0 (0)
Slightly concerned	59 (19.2)
Not at all concerned	24 (7.8)
Physicians' concern about family becoming infected with COVID-19, n (%)	(n = 296)
Extremely concerned	98 (33.1)
Moderately concerned	118 (39.9)
Somewhat concerned	40 (13.5)
Slightly concerned	30 (10.1)
Not at all concerned	10 (3.4)
Physicians' concern about patients becoming infected with COVID-19, n (%)	(n = 293)
Extremely concerned	151 (51.5)
Moderately concerned	116 (39.6)
Somewhat concerned	20 (6.8)
Slightly concerned	5 (1.7)
Not at all concerned	1 (0.3)

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Table 3a.

Relationship Between Respondents' Perceived Concerns About Becoming Infected with COVID-19 and Decision To Be Vaccinated with an Approved mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine

	Intention To Be Vaccinated with an Approved mRNA COVID-19
Measures	Yes	No	Total	Pearson χ²	P value	Cramer's V
Level of concern, n (%)				13.35	<0.001	0.21
Extreme concern	74 (96.1)	3 (3.9)	77 (100)
Moderate concern	137 (93.2)	10 (6.8)	147 (100)
Slight concern	67 (80.7)	16 (19.3)	83 (100)
Total	278 (90.6)	29 (9.4)	307 (100)

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Table 3b.

Results for Pairwise Comparison Using the Holm Sequential Bonferroni Method

Comparisons	Pearson χ²	P value (α)	Cramer's V
Moderate concern vs slight concern	8.23^*	.004 (0.017)	0.189
Extreme concern vs slight concern	9.03^*	.031 (0.025)	0.238
Extreme concern vs moderate concern	0.78	.55 (0.050)	0.059

↵* P value ≤ α.

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Table 4a.

Open-Ended Comments on Reasons Family Physicians' Intend to Receive an Approved mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine

Themes	Quotes from Participants
Prevent COVID-19 infection	“Vaccination is our best defense against the pandemic.”
	“I have seen the horrors of COVID-19 firsthand and believe it is critically important to do all we can as a community to focus on prevention.”
Protect self, family, community	“Because it is an important part of protecting those around me.”
	“I want to protect myself, my family, and my patients.”
Contribute to herd immunity	“I think the vaccination is the socially responsible thing to work towards herd immunity.”
	“Herd immunity is important for public health and is our way to loosened restrictions but cannot be accomplished without vaccinations.”
Inspire confidence that the vaccines are safe	“To set a good example for family, friends, patients, and coworkers that the vaccine is safe.”
	“It is safe and the right thing to do to end the pandemic. Medical personnel need to set the example.”
End the pandemic and bring life to normal	“Widespread vaccination is the only way we end the pandemic.”
	“I'm excited that my action may help us return to something that looks more normal in the world.”
Belief in science and vaccine safety	[I] “feel appropriate research as even one at this point to prove the vaccine's safety.”
	“I'm going to look into the science of the vaccine. But the high efficacy reported makes it enticing.”
Vaccine is less risky than contracting COVID	“Risk of vaccine side effects lower than potential complications of COVID.”
Vaccine is less risky than contracting COVID	“I feel the risk of the vaccine is less than the risk of getting COVID.”

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Table 4b.

Open-Ended Comments on Reasons Family Physicians Are Resistant to Receiving an Approved mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine

Themes	Quotes from Participants
Concerns about safety and adverse side effects	“Concerns for detrimental long-term side effects.”
	“Don't have enough information about the adverse effects of the vaccination.”
Previous COVID-19 infection	“Just had COVID. I most likely immune. May consider in the fall.”
	“I must getting over COVID myself. I would wait at least 90 days to consider getting it for myself.”
Low-risk group	“I feel that I'm still young and healthy and statistically have a good chance of not having significant disease.”
	“Low risk of getting infected with COVID, waiting to see firsthand how people do with the vaccination.”
Other reasons	“Hesitation due to breastfeeding.”
	“Pregnancy.”
	“Previous significant reaction to MMR vaccine.”