• Sagit Dahan, Esther Bloemhof-Bris, Shira Weizman, Moran Pesah, Nadav Gorno, Mustafa Abu Shah, Galit Levi, and Assaf Shelef.
• Lev-Hasharon Mental Health Center, Zur Moshe, Israel.
• J Eval Clin Pract. 2022 Dec 1; 28 (6): 948957948-957.

Rationale And ObjectiveAt the beginning of vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), information about the effects of the vaccine was not known and hesitancy was observed among the population. The mental health staff members in our center in Israel had to decide whether to get vaccinated or not. The objective of this study was to evaluate the differences in demographic characteristics of vaccinated and nonvaccinated mental health care workers (HCWs), and to identify their reasons for or against vaccination.MethodData on characteristics of 357 staff members at a mental health center (MHCS) in Israel and their attitudes regarding COVID-19 vaccination, those who were nonvaccinated, were collected via anonymous questionnaires, from 1 January to 10 January 2021. The groups were then compared using χ2 , Fisher's exact tests, t test or Mann-Whitney nonparametric test as appropriate. A logistic regression was then performed using the significant variables and odd ratios presented.ResultsEighty-one per cent of the sample received at least the first dose of the vaccine. Results indicated differences in seniority (p < 0.001), profession (p < 0.001), department (p < 0.001), risk groups (p < 0.05), religion (p < 0.001), religiosity (p < 0.001), previous care for COVID-19 patients (p < 0.05) and level of interaction with patients (p < 0.01), between the vaccinated and nonvaccinated staff. The factor that was found to be most influential regarding vaccination and which convinced those originally against the vaccine to become vaccinated was the level of scientific knowledge about the vaccine.ConclusionEfforts and resources should focus on the dissemination of reliable scientific data about the vaccine, to increase vaccination rates among mental HCWs.© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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