Parental Vaccine Acceptance: A Logistic Regression Model Using Previsit Decisions

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Parental vaccine hesitancy is a significant public health concern impacting child immunization rates.
• Understanding factors influencing parental vaccine decisions is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between parents' pre-visit intentions and their children's actual vaccine acceptance.
• To identify predictors of vaccine refusal and acceptance among parents attending pediatric visits.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to parents at two pediatric practices.
• Hierarchical logistic regression analysis was used to analyze vaccine refusal and acceptance.
• Data were collected from a convenience sample of parents with children aged 6 weeks to 17 years.

Main Results:

• Vaccine refusal history and pre-visit decisions explained 87% of refusals in hospital-based settings and 81% in community-based settings.
• Over 20% of parents altered their vaccination decisions during the visit.
• A notable number of parents who previously refused vaccines or intended to refuse ultimately accepted vaccination.

Conclusions:

• Pre-visit parental intentions and prior vaccine refusal history are strong predictors of vaccine acceptance.
• Pediatric visits present opportunities to influence parental vaccine decisions, with a substantial proportion of parents changing their minds.
• Further research is needed to identify specific factors that can positively influence parental vaccine decision-making.