*Purpose: Misperceptions and incorrect beliefs among patients may contribute to patient refusal of vaccines. We examined beliefs and sources of information in a population of inner-City kidney transplant recipients.

*Methods: A face-to-face survey was administered to 28 randomly selected patients in kidney transplant clinic, containing 10 questions regarding attitudes and beliefs using a 5-point Likert scale and 1 question regarding information source. The Beliefs in Medicine Questionnaire was also administered. Associations were by Pearson r.

*Results: There were 16 (57%) men and 12 (43%) women, 22 (78%) black, 2 Hispanic and 4 other. 11 (39%) had up to a high school education,17 (61%) had attended some college. 12 (43%) had income <20K. 16 (59%) were concerned that vaccines might not be safe. They were more likely to be concerned with vaccine side effects (r=0.77, p<0.000) and that vaccines might not prevent disease (r=0.78, p<0.0001) and more likely to disagree that they could discuss concerns (r=-0.5, p<0.05), believed that natural remedies are safer than medicine (r=-0.41, p=<0.05), and that doctors put too much trust in medicines (r=-0.55, p=0.003). Patients who felt comfortable discussing their concerns with a healthcare provider were less likely to receive information from family (r=-0.57, p=0.005) or friends (r=-0.45, p=0.034), more likely to feel that vaccines prevent severe illness (r=0.68, p<0.0001), less likely to believe that it is better to develop immunity naturally (r=-0.6, p=0.001), felt freer to question vaccines (r=0.75, p<0.0001), more likely to trust information they receive about vaccines (r=0.59, p=0.001). 88% (15/17) college educated pts agreed that they could discuss concerns vs 27% (3/11) pts who did not attend college (p=0.003 by Chi Square). Patients who got information from family members were more likely to disagree that vaccines prevent serious infections (r=-0.72, p<0.0001), believe they should question vaccines (r=-0.54, p=0.008) and didn’t feel they could discuss concerns (r=-0.63, p=0.002). They also believed most medicine were addictive (r=0.5, p=0.015). There was no association between age, gender or income and beliefs.

*Conclusions: In our population: 1. The majority of pts felt vaccines were unsafe. 2. These pts were more likely to be concerned with side effects, believe vaccines are ineffective and that natural remedies are safer than medicines. 3. Patients who felt comfortable discussing concerns about vaccinations were more likely to have attended some college, to understand that vaccines prevent severe disease, less likely to believe they should develop immunity naturally, less likely to turn to friends and family for information and more likely to believe information they received. 5. Attention to developing materials and communication techniques for less educated patients should be paramount in order to develop trust in vaccine safety and improve vaccination in this at-risk population.

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