CIDRAP-Greater trust in the FDA, CDC tied to higher flu vaccine uptake

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Greater trust in the FDA, CDC tied to higher flu vaccine uptake

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Greater trust in the FDA, CDC tied to higher flu vaccine uptake​

Meghan Holohan

Today at 8:52 a.m.
Influenza Vaccines

As vaccination rates dwindle, public health experts have been working to understand the factors that encourage people to undergo immunization. A new paper in Vaccine examines how trust in government agencies influences a person’s decision to receive a flu vaccine, finding that a one-point boost in a composite trust score is linked to a 42% increase in one’s likelihood of being vaccinated.

“Higher trust in government agencies was associated with greater influenza vaccination acceptance,” wrote the authors, from the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

“These findings suggest that trust in institutions plays an important role in shaping vaccination behavior beyond individual-level characteristics among US adults.”

More than half received a flu shot ​

During the 2024-25 flu season, 1,166 US adults responded to a survey that included questions about their intention to receive a flu vaccine and how much trust they had in local and federal health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and President Donald Trump.

Of the respondents, 55.1% reported that they received a flu vaccine or planned on getting one. Being older, completing higher education, and having a higher income were associated with a greater chance of receiving a flu dose.

These findings suggest that trust in institutions plays an important role in shaping vaccination behavior beyond individual-level characteristics among US adults.

Trust in the FDA, CDC, and local and state health departments also was associated with an increased likelihood of vaccine acceptance. There was no significant association between trust in the president or HHS and one’s willingness to receive a flu shot.

“These findings suggest that government institutions may represent one of several sources of trust that shape influenza vaccination decisions,” the authors wrote.