The role of age, sex, and ethnicity in vaccine trust, and sources of information in Canada: Findings from a national survey

Vaccine confidence plays a critical role in public health. Understanding demographic differences in trust and sources of vaccine information is essential for designing equitable communication strategies. We analyzed nationally representative summary data from Cycle 2 of the Canadian COVID-19 Vaccine Coverage Survey (CVCS), collected April–May2021 during the initial phase of the national vaccine rollout. The survey included adults aged 18 and older (n = 10,678). This study examines trust in vaccine safety, efficacy, and information sources across demographic factors such as age, gender, and visible minority status. Trust in vaccine safety and effectiveness was high overall (95% and 97%, respectively), peaking among older adults (96% and 98%) and lower among younger males (as low as 85% for perceived COVID-19 vaccine protection). In general, public health agencies were the most trusted sources of information (84%), followed by physicians and health scientists (70%); trust in vaccine manufacturers remained low (31%). Visible minority respondents were more likely to trust public health regulations (87% vs 83%) but also more likely to prefer natural immunity (20% vs. 14%) than non-visible minorities population. These findings provide a unique population-level snapshot of vaccine trust during the critical early phase of Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. By identifying demographic differences in vaccine perceptions and information sources, our study offers an essential benchmark to inform future public health communication strategies and preparedness efforts. Trust in vaccine-related information is generally high across demographic groups, but significant variability exists between groups. Younger and middle-aged adults exhibit lower trust in vaccine safety, effectiveness, and regulatory processes compared to older adults. Public health agencies and healthcare professionals remain the most trusted sources of vaccine information. Future research should explore the underlying reasons for variability in trust and assess how different communication strategies result in vaccine confidence.