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Parent intentions to vaccinate children with autism spectrum disorder against COVID-19
Kristen Choi1, Tracy Becerra-Culqui2, Bhumi Bhakta3
1School of Nursing, University of California, 700 Tiverton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States of America; Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, 100 S. Los Robles, Pasadena, CA 91101, United States of America.
Insights
Parental vaccine confidence, not trust in providers, predicted intent to vaccinate children with autism against COVID-19. Education is crucial to address misinformation and boost vaccine confidence.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Vaccinology
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
Background:
- Parental vaccine confidence is crucial for child immunization.
- Understanding factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine decisions in children with autism is vital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between parent vaccine confidence and their intention to vaccinate children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) against COVID-19.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional, web-based survey conducted from May to July 2021.
- Participants included 322 parents of children with ASD from a Southern California healthcare system.
Main Results:
- 35% of parents intended to vaccinate their child against COVID-19.
- Positive vaccine beliefs were associated with vaccination intention.
- Healthcare provider trust and parent vaccination status were not significant predictors.
Conclusions:
- Relying solely on trusted relationships may be insufficient to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates in children with ASD.
- Targeted education is needed to address parental vaccine hesitancy and correct misinformation.
- Pediatric healthcare providers should proactively educate parents on vaccine benefits and evidence, especially concerning autism.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to investigate associations between parent vaccine confidence and intention to have their child with autism vaccinated against COVID-19.
Design And Methods:
A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted from May to July 2021 with parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (N = 322) who were members of an integrated healthcare system in Southern California.
Results:
Approximately 35% of parents intended to vaccinate their child against COVID-19. In adjusted models, positive vaccine beliefs-but not belief in vaccine harm, healthcare provider trust, or parent vaccination status-were associated with intention to vaccinate.
Conclusions:
Though parents usually trust recommendations from pediatric healthcare providers to make decisions about their child's health, these findings suggest that relying on trusted relationships alone may not be sufficient when discussing COVID-19 vaccines and that additional education to bolster vaccine confidence may be needed.
Practice Implications:
Pediatric healthcare providers should reinforce the benefits of vaccines for parents who are undecided about COVID-19 vaccines for their children and provide education and evidence-based recommendations to parents who hold erroneous vaccine beliefs about risks, benefits, and current evidence, especially those related to autism.
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