Differences in Parents' Perspectives on Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccination by Child's Age

Area of Science:

• Pediatric infectious diseases
• Vaccinology
• Public health

Background:

• Childhood Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine uptake remains low, with notable age-related disparities.
• Understanding parental decision-making is crucial for improving vaccination rates in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how a child's age influences parental decision-making regarding COVID-19 vaccination.
• To identify age-specific factors affecting vaccine uptake in children.

Main Methods:

• Phenomenological approach using semi-structured interviews with parents of children under 18.
• Focused analysis of themes across three age groups: 6 months to 4 years, 5 to 11 years, and 12 to 17 years.
• Interviews conducted between June 2022 and January 2023 across five pediatric clinics.

Main Results:

• Twenty-six parents were interviewed, with representation across all studied age groups.
• Age-specific differences in vaccine decision-making were influenced by three main themes: perceptions of COVID-19 infection risk, vaccine safety concerns, and logistical considerations.
• Logistical barriers, such as supply shortages, particularly affected vaccine uptake for younger children.

Conclusions:

• Factors that hindered initial COVID-19 vaccine rollout for children continue to impact uptake.
• Logistical challenges identified in COVID-19 vaccine promotion also affected recent Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) immunization efforts.
• Lessons learned should inform future vaccine promotion, new vaccine rollouts, and pandemic preparedness strategies for pediatric populations.