Beliefs regarding COVID-19 vaccines among Canadian workers in the intellectual disability sector prior to vaccine implementation.
One in five Ontario disability staff entered the vaccine rollout unsure—tackle their safety fears early and lean on positive team culture to push actual uptake above the later 70 % mark.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team sent an online survey to Ontario staff who support adults with intellectual disabilities.
They asked one key question: “Will you get the COVID-19 vaccine when it’s offered?”
Answers were collected before the shot was available to the public.
What they found
Eight out of ten workers said yes, they planned to roll up their sleeve.
The remaining two out of ten said no, mostly because they feared the shot was unsafe or would not help.
How this fits with other research
Howard et al. (2023) later showed the real uptake was only 70 %, proving plans don’t always turn into arms.
The same 2023 paper also found that staff who stayed unvaccinated were more likely to support clients who also refused the shot, a ripple the 2021 survey could not catch.
Dembo et al. (2023) add that when teams feel supported and goals are clear, staff well-being rises—hinting that strong workplace climate might soften future vaccine doubts.
Why it matters
You now know that hesitation lives in one-fifth of your direct-support team.
Use the 2023 follow-up as a wake-up call: address safety myths out loud, share simple data sheets, and spotlight vaccinated co-workers as trusted messengers.
Pair this with the team-climate findings from Dembo et al. (2023): run quick huddles, praise publicly, and make the shot the easy, social norm.
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Join Free →Post a one-page “myth vs fact” sheet in the staff room and ask two vaccinated team members to share why they got the shot at your next pre-shift huddle.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Workers supporting adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience significant stress in their essential role during COVID-19 due to the high risk of their clients contracting COVID-19 and having adverse outcomes. The purpose of the current study was to describe the attitudes of workers towards COVID-19 vaccination prior to vaccination rollout, with a view to informing strategies to promote vaccine uptake within this high-risk sector. METHODS: An online survey was sent via email to workers supporting adults with ID in Ontario, Canada, between January 21 and February 3, 2021 by agency leadership and union representatives. RESULTS: Three thousand and three hundred and seventy-one workers, representing approximately 11.2% of Ontario workers supporting adults with ID completed an online survey. Most reported that they were very likely (62%) or likely (20%) to get a COVID-19 vaccine (vaccination intent) although 18% reported they were less likely to do so (vaccination nonintent). Workers with vaccination nonintent were younger and were more likely to endorse the beliefs that (1) it will not benefit them or those around them, (2) it was not part of their job, (3) rapid development confers uncertainties and risks, and (4) they were scared of potential vaccine side effects. CONCLUSIONS: There is need to address common misconceptions among workers supporting adults with ID to help activate them as vaccine advocates in the communities they serve. Partnered efforts between workers, unions and agency leadership with public health experts to address concerns are required.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2021 · doi:10.47326/ocsat.2021.02.12.1.0