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In 2025 how many percent of adults are hesitant to get vaccines
Executive summary
Available reporting does not provide a single, global "percent of adults hesitant to get vaccines in 2025"; estimates vary widely by country, vaccine type, and study. For example, a 2025 review of Ethiopian studies found some local hesitancy estimates as low as 19.1% and noted that 42% of included studies reported hesitancy above 50% [1]; U.S.-focused reporting shows low uptake for some COVID seasons (around 15% vaccination in some Latino adults, implying high hesitancy in that subgroup) and broader concerns that hesitancy and low uptake remain significant [2] [3].
1. No single global percentage — heterogeneity rules
The World Health Organization and multiple academic reviews make clear that vaccine hesitancy is context-specific: it differs by country, region, vaccine (COVID, influenza, RSV, childhood vaccines), and demographic group [4] [5]. Global surveillance data and reviews cite very low uptake in some regions and age groups (for example, vaccine coverage among health workers in many regions below a few percent), which undercuts any simple global “X% of adults are hesitant” statement [4].
2. Country and local studies show wide spread — Ethiopia example
A 2025 mapping of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Ethiopia reported a large range: the lowest adult hesitancy estimate cited was 19.1% in Addis Ababa, while 42% of the included studies reported hesitancy rates higher than 50% in other locales [1]. That review underscores how subnational and study-method differences produce very different percentages even within a single country [1].
3. United States: declining uptake and pockets of high hesitancy
U.S. reporting for 2024–25 and commentary in 2025 describe persistently low uptake in some groups and seasons—CNN and Contagion noted very low vaccination rates in parts of the U.S. (e.g., Latino adults had a vaccination rate around 15% in one season), and public-health experts warned that conflicting federal guidance and revived vaccine-safety task forces reflect concern about rising hesitancy and exemptions [2] [3]. CDC vaccine-effectiveness reports and clinical guidelines continue to recommend vaccination, signaling official concern about low adult uptake even when vaccines provide measurable protection [6] [7].
4. Hesitancy is vaccine-specific — COVID, RSV, flu differ
Analysts and clinical societies emphasize that hesitancy is not uniform across vaccine types. For instance, independent analyses and IDSA guidance in 2025 focus on COVID-19, RSV, and influenza vaccine strategies and note differing benefit–risk profiles and uptake patterns among older adults and immunocompromised patients [8] [9]. Public messaging and policy changes (e.g., targeted recommendations for older adults) also reflect that acceptance varies by vaccine and risk group [3] [7].
5. Reasons and drivers reported in 2024–25 studies
Common drivers cited across sources include fear of side effects, long‑term safety concerns, doubts about effectiveness, institutional mistrust, and social determinants like lower education or past discrimination—factors repeatedly documented in reviews and studies mentioned in 2025 reporting [2] [1]. Media coverage and negative reporting have also been linked to erosion of confidence in some settings [5].
6. Measurement and definitional limits — what 'hesitant' means
Studies use different questionnaires and thresholds to define “hesitancy” (intent vs. refusal vs. delayed acceptance), producing inconsistent percentages; one review explicitly maps studies of varying quality and differing definitions, which explains the broad range of reported rates [1] [5]. Therefore, headline percentages often reflect methodology as much as public sentiment [1].
7. What the data imply for policy and readers
Because hesitancy varies so much by vaccine and population, public-health responses are being targeted (e.g., age‑ or risk‑based recommendations, revamped safety communication, outreach to underserved groups) rather than one-size-fits-all mandates [3] [7]. Clinical guidance continues to urge vaccination for higher-risk adults while acknowledging uptake challenges [6] [9].
8. Bottom line and how to interpret future numbers
If you see a single 2025 percent cited as “the adult vaccine-hesitancy rate,” treat it skeptically: available sources show rates ranging from under 20% in some local surveys to over 50% in other studies and populations [1] [2]. Look for details on which vaccine, which population, the survey timing, and the definition of “hesitant” before accepting a headline number [1] [5].
Limitations: available sources do not provide a single global 2025 adult hesitancy percentage and emphasize variation by country, vaccine type, and study methods [4] [1].