Cage SA1,2*, Warner BJ2,3, Ballard B1, Gallegos DM4, Goza JP5 and Warner LK61University of Texas at Tyler, USA 2University of North Carolina, USA 3Grand Canyon University, USA 4University of Texas Health East Texas, USA 5Collin College, USA 6AlphaMeD, USA *Corresponding author: Cage SA, University of Texas at Tyler, USA Submission: September 08, 2021;Published: October 20, 2021 DOI: 10.31031/RISM.2021.08.000676 ISSN 2578-0271 Volume8 Issue1 Following the widespread transmission of the novel coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, the first COVID-19 vaccine received emergency use authorization in December 2020. The purpose of this study is to describe the attitudes toward available COVID-19 vaccines among athletic trainers. 258 certified athletic trainers (age=43±12 years; years of certified experience=19±12 years) completed an electronic survey via email that collected data on demographics, face mask usage, and attitudes toward available COVID-19 vaccines. Data were downloaded and analyzed using a commercially available statistics package (SPSS Statistics Version 26, IBM, Armonk, NY). Measures of central tendency (means, standard deviations, frequencies) were calculated for all survey items. The majority of respondents reported that they were comfortable with the current level of authorization for available COVID-19 vaccines. Most athletic trainers stated that they would receive a COVID-19 vaccination when it was available, but that they would rather it be a voluntary choice rather than mandated by an employer or government body. The majority of athletic trainers reported personal, household, and vulnerable population safety as the primary considerations for receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. In general, these factors were more important to participants than were public perception or concerns over infringements of personal liberties. Given that athletic trainers continue to work in day-to-day patient care, it is important to consider the best means of educating athletic trainers on the potential benefits of COVID-19 vaccinations. Keywords: Deterrent factors; Physical activities; Student nurse; Women Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly infectious respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 was first reported in late 2019 in Wuhan, China [1]. Symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue, loss of smell, loss of taste, body aches, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea [1]. In severe cases, patients have experienced potentially fatal pneumonia, septic shock, metabolic acidosis, and coagulation dysfunction [2]. Efforts during the first several months of the COVID-19 pandemic focused on mitigating its spread, including testing, contact tracing, enhanced hygiene efforts, use of face coverings, and social distancing [3-6]. In December 2020, the first vaccine against COVID-19 received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the United States Food and Drug Administration [7]. As the global COVID-19 pandemic progressed, many communities and organizations enacted legislation and rulings aimed at limiting the transmission of COVID-19. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) opted to cancel all remaining championships for the 2020 spring semester [8]. The majority of institutions and athletic conferences followed suit and cancelled the remainder of their seasons [9], including many secondary schools, who postponed or suspended athletic activities and face-to-face instruction [10,11]. Subsequently, a study reported that many athletic trainers were suffering from increased levels of depression and anxiety [12]. These findings suggested that some athletic trainers experienced adverse mental health effects as a result of the pandemic while participating in their role as frontline healthcare workers. Further research is underway to evaluate the epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19 [1-4]. To date, no publications appear to be available on attitudes toward recently authorized COVID-19 vaccines. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to describe the attitudes of athletic trainers toward COVID-19 vaccination. Design This cross-sectional study collected data by internet-based survey as approved by the University of Texas at Tyler IRB. Participants Participants were recruited by emailing the head athletic trainers at NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III institutions, Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accredited program directors, and members of various regional and local athletic training organizations using publicly available databases. Recruiting was completed using the snowball technique; participants were asked to forward the study invitation to certified colleagues. A total of 258 certified athletic trainers completed the study (age = 43±12 years; years of certified experience = 19±12 years). Participant demographics are listed in Table 1. Table 1: Participant demographic information. Data collection An email was sent in January 2021 to all prospective participants inviting them to participate in a survey accessible via hyperlink to a web-based server (Qualtrics Inc., Provo, UT). The email contained information about the investigators, the purpose of the study, and the nature of the survey. A follow-up email was sent two weeks after the initial email, and the survey was closed a week later prior to statistical analysis. Instrument Following the questions on informed consent and demographics, the survey posed questions about the...