Characteristics of persons with varying vaccination personas: data from the CDC-funded PANDEMIC project

Objectives: To examine characteristics of personas related to vaccination via a multi-state survey, to better inform strategies to address vaccine hesitancy, foster trust, and promote equitable health outcomes across diverse communities. Methods: Through a CDC-funded initiative, the University of Florida coordinated and participated with eight partner institutions to increase vaccination uptake and address vaccination hesitancy through trust-building. PANDEMIC (Program to Alleviate National Disparities in Ethnic and Minority Immunizations in the Community) developed an anonymous Survey of Perceptions (SoP), which assessed community perspectives on vaccination. Associations examined persona and gender, state where the interview was conducted, rurality, race/ethnicity, COVID-19 vaccination status, and trusted sources of vaccination information. Results: From September 18, 2023, to October 3, 2024, over 5,500 participants were surveyed through the SoP to assess general viewpoints on vaccination, with five personas characterized: Enthusiast (58.6%), Watchful (21.0%), Cost-Anxious (10.0%), Skeptic (6.2%), and System Distruster (4.2%). Group comparisons were made using the Kruskal–Wallis rank sum test for continuous variables, and Chi-square tests for categorical variables to assess associations between demographic characteristics and vaccination personas. Conclusions: Understanding vaccination personas and their predictors may provide a framework for designing targeted public health interventions. By addressing the distinct concerns and motivations of each persona, public health strategies promote equitable health outcomes and increase vaccine uptake across diverse populations.