Parent-Reported Influenza Vaccination Uptake, Hesitancy and Willingness for In-School Children: Survey Findings From...

Understanding parental practices and attitudes towards vaccination is important to promote influenza vaccines among in-school children that can mitigate infection and spread of influenza. This study aimed to investigate influenza vaccination uptake, hesitancy and willingness among parents for their in-school children in the post-pandemic era of COVID-19 in South China.

In April 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to obtain a convenience sample of 3127 in-school children's parents in Shenzhen, China. Information about demographic characteristics, parent's psychological health status, child's health conditions, parent-reported influenza vaccination uptake, hesitancy and willingness among in-school children was collected. Binary logistic regression models were applied to detect parent-level and child-level associated factors of influenza vaccination uptake, hesitancy and willingness among parents.

According to 3127 parents' report, the rate of influenza vaccination uptake within the recent 12 months for their in-school children was 57.6%, and 49.2% of parents reported vaccine hesitancy. Among 1326 parents of children who have not yet been vaccinated, 74.2% were willing to vaccinate their children in the future. The most reported obstacle for unwillingness was concerns about vaccine safety and side effects. Parent-level factors associated with parent-reported uptake, hesitancy and willingness of influenza vaccination included gender, education level, employment status, health perceptions (awareness of influenza vaccination and the free policy for students, perceived risk and worry about contracting influenza for the child) and perceived stress. Child-level factors included age, gender, history of previous influenza vaccination and history of vaccine allergy.

Our study suggests that there is considerable room for Chinese parents to increase the uptake of influenza vaccination and eliminate vaccine hesitancy for in-school children. Multi-aspect efforts are needed to increase parental confidence and trust in influenza vaccination, in particular, based on parent-level and child-level associated factors.