Factors affecting guardians' decision-making regarding the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine

In Japan, the vaccination rate against the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine for children was low. Therefore, in this study we investigated the factors influencing guardians' decision-making regarding vaccination of their children.

From November 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023, pediatric clinics, departments, and midwifery clinics in Saitama Prefecture requested guardians of children under the age of 15 to complete an online questionnaire.

Responses were obtained from 894 guardians of children aged 6 months to 15 years; 142 had had one of their children vaccinated at least once and 629 had not had any of their children vaccinated. Among guardians who had not had any of their children vaccinated, "the Age of children" was significantly younger (p < 0.001) and "Prevalence" (p < 0.001), "Free vaccination" (p < 0.001), and "Intentions of national and local governments" (p = 0.005) were selected as reasons significantly less frequently in comparison to guardians who had vaccinated their children. "Japanese adverse reactions" (p < 0.001), "Japanese effectiveness" (p < 0.001), "Adverse reactions" (p < 0.001), "History of adverse reactions" (p < 0.001), and "Reputation of friends" (p = 0.006) were selected significantly more frequently by guardians who had not had any of their children vaccinated.

Guardians who had had one of their children vaccinated at least once emphasized the importance of prevalence and free vaccination. On the other hand, guardians who had not had any of their children vaccinated placed particular importance on adverse reactions and the Japanese data on effectiveness. To guide the decision-making of guardians, it is necessary to quickly collect and publish data on adverse reactions and effectiveness, particularly in Japanese individuals, so that citizens can decide whether to vaccinate themselves and their children.