On Nov. 4, 2024, a study conducted by researchers from the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH) and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) sheds light on public trust in COVID-19 vaccine science and its impact on vaccine acceptance in the United States from 2021 to 2023.

Analyzing data from a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2021, 2022, and 2023, the researchers found that around one-third of respondents expressed mistrust in the science behind COVID-19 vaccines (36.1% in 2021, 32.8% in 2022, and 36.2 in 2023). Higher trust levels were associated with male respondents, those with university degrees, and individuals with above-median incomes.

Trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an information source was significantly correlated with both vaccine acceptance and future booster uptake.