Distrust Medical Professionals and Scientists and Their Role in Hesitancy

In the United States, trust in science and medical professionals has been degrading since 2019. This has been further exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic, where an infodemic of information existed which the public struggled to navigate, and people have generally uncertain feelings about overall human health. For decades, researchers have investigated public trust in scientists and medical professionals, often finding racial minorities feel higher distrust amongst medical professionals and associated institutions stemming from past injustices and ill-treatments. These are furthered when there is a noticeable difference in presentation or appearance between doctor and patient. At the same time, life-saving advancements in medical research (such as a novel vaccine) exist simultaneously alongside this plethora of information, sparking a misunderstanding in appropriate behaviors and responses for situations which arise such as a pandemic. This chapter discusses some background related to the role of medical professionals and scientists in vaccine acceptance and hesitancy.