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Factors Affecting Parental Intent to Vaccinate Against COVID-19 in the United States
Leah Duncan1, David Baalmann1,2, Colleen Loo-Gross1,3
1University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, Wichita, KS.
Insights
Parental COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy persists due to side effect concerns and distrust. Higher education levels correlate with increased child vaccination rates, but more research is needed on other influencing factors.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Public Health
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Childhood vaccination decisions are complex and debated.
- Parental hesitancy regarding COVID-19 vaccination for children is a significant public health concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore factors influencing parental decisions on COVID-19 vaccination for unvaccinated children.
- To identify primary reasons for COVID-19 vaccine refusal in U.S. children.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey data (N=68,504) from January 2023.
- Utilized descriptive statistics and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) to analyze vaccine hesitancy factors.
Main Results:
- Top reasons for hesitancy: side effect concerns, vaccine distrust, and low perceived child risk.
- Parents who received the COVID-19 vaccine were more likely to vaccinate their children.
- Higher education (bachelor's degree or higher) significantly increased the likelihood of child vaccination (aOR=5.79).
Conclusions:
- Parental concerns about COVID-19 vaccines and hesitancy to vaccinate children remain.
- Study provides insights into parental decision-making nearly three years into the pandemic.
- Further research is recommended to explore geographical and other potential influences on parental vaccine hesitancy.
Introduction:
The topic of childhood vaccinations has become increasingly contentious, sparking debate, and creating challenging decisions for parents. This study aimed to explore the factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination decisions for parents of unvaccinated children and identify the most common reasons for not vaccinating children against COVID-19 in the U.S.
Methods:
Authors analyzed data from Phase 3.7, Week 53 of the United States Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey (N = 68,504), collected from January 4 to January 16, 2023. Standard descriptive statistics and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) were used to analyze the data.
Results:
The top three reasons for vaccine hesitancy were concerns about side effects, lack of trust in the vaccine, and the perception that children in the household were not part of a high-risk group. Among respondents, nearly 87% (n = 59,363) reported receiving a COVID- 19 vaccination, and these individuals were more inclined to vaccinate their children across all age groups studied. Additionally, participants with higher levels of education (bachelor's degree or higher) were more likely to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 (aOR = 5.79; 95% CI, 5.43-6.17; p <0.001).
Conclusions:
Findings from the study suggest that some parents are still concerned about the COVID-19 vaccine and are hesitant to vaccinate their children against the disease. Information and insights from this study allow for a greater understanding of how parents are making this decision nearly three years after the pandemic officially began. Further studies are needed to determine how other factors, such as geographical location, also may affect parental COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy.
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