Effects of vaccination status in the United States on willingness to undergo surgery during a pandemic: A prospective survey study

Modifiable and non-modifiable patient and hospital characteristics may affect willingness to undergo surgery during a pandemic. We hypothesized that vaccination of hospital staff and patients, type of surgery, and length of stay, would affect willingness to undergo a surgical procedure. 2006 adult participants in the United States were recruited electronically using Amazon’s ® Mechanical Turk ® and answered a 26-item survey in English about hypothetical surgery, manipulating requirements for: staff vaccination, patient vaccination, surgical urgency, and time in hospital. They also answered questions about their opinions about vaccination, personal vaccination status, and demographics. Participants are more willing to undergo surgery if they have been vaccinated, if staff vaccinations are required, and if surgery is lifesaving and outpatient. Willingness to undergo surgery varies with hospital staff and patient vaccination. This may inform policies for vaccination, boosters, and resource allocation.