{"id":64084,"date":"2021-05-17T20:14:35","date_gmt":"2021-05-17T20:14:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/05\/17\/covid-19-vaccine-hesitancy-higher-among-soldiers-black-service-members-study-shows\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T11:49:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T11:49:15","slug":"covid-19-vaccine-hesitancy-higher-among-soldiers-black-service-members-study-shows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/coronavirus\/2021\/05\/17\/covid-19-vaccine-hesitancy-higher-among-soldiers-black-service-members-study-shows\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy higher among soldiers, Black service members, study shows"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Service members\u2019 decisions on whether or not to get vaccinated vary significantly between different demographic groupings, according to a new military study. In addition to race, ethnicity, and age, researchers found that initiation of the vaccine process varied by branch of service, occupational specialty, and level of education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between the four military branches, the Army had the lowest rate of vaccination. Marines were 52 percent more likely to get vaccinated than soldiers. Sailors and airmen were respectively 45 percent and 15 percent more likely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Black service members were least likely to choose to receive the COVID-19 vaccination<\/a>, as well as female service members and those with lower ranks and education levels. Research<\/a> surveying the civilian population also suggests high rates of vaccine hesitancy among Black Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the term of the study, 29 percent of white service members initiated the vaccine process, while only 25.5 percent of Hispanic and 18.7 percent of Black service members across the military chose to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis suggests that forces external to the U.S. military, such as interpersonal and societal factors, also contribute towards vaccine hesitancy among military service members, as has been suggested for other disease processes,\u201d the study stated. \u201cMilitary leadership and vaccine planners should be knowledgeable about and aware of the disparities in vaccine initiation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers tracked the medical data of all active duty service members from December 2020 through March 2021. During this time, 361,538 service members, or 27.2 percent of the active-duty military, received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study was published in the April edition of the Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, the military\u2019s peer-reviewed medical journal.<\/p>\n\n\n\t