Trust in Health Care Providers After 2 Years of COVID: Perceptions From a Missouri Birthing Population [ID: 1380219]

INTRODUCTION: Distrust in the medical system is rooted in American history and exacerbated after the rapid dissemination of COVID-19 vaccinations. Pregnant women were the lowest group to receive vaccinations. We sought to understand vaccine uptake and perceptions of provider credibility in the Missouri birthing population. METHODS: The Perinatal Quality Collaborative (PQC) of Missouri developed a questionnaire assessing perceived trustworthiness of medical providers. Further questions assessed willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. A mailing list racially representative of the birthing population was purchased (Dynata) with grant support. Thirty-nine questions were distributed from March to August 2022 to birthing persons 18 or more years of age. Those without a Missouri zip code or who identified as male were excluded. RESULTS: One thousand seven hundred thirty-eight people met inclusion criteria with a response rate of 89%. Of those, 74.5% identified as White, 14% as Black, 3.5% as Hispanic, 3.6% as Native American, 2.5% as Asian, 0.3% as Hawaiian Native or Pacific Islander, and 1.6% as other/unknown. Eighty-five people who responded were currently pregnant. Trust in provider recommendations was high at 83% with 80.9% stating they look to their physicians for reliable medical advice. The majority of respondents were aware that pregnancy is a risk factor for COVID-related complications, but only 39.6% stated they would be willing to receive a vaccine while pregnant. CONCLUSION: Despite low willingness to accept a COVID vaccine while pregnant, the Missouri birthing population overall trusts and seeks medical advice from their providers. Time allocated for more targeted counseling from all health care workers could increase vaccine uptake in the pregnant population.