Children, vaccines, and financial incentives

Abstract

Recent studies have been analyzing and measuring the efficacy of the use of financial incentives to increase the Covid-19 vaccine uptake. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the only study available in the literature that aims to measure the effect of financial incentives on vaccine rates among children. This paper explores the effects of a specific financial incentive on parents’ vaccination decisions for their children. Using data from a regional practice, where students aged 12 and older received $50 gift cards per Covid-19 vaccination dose, we use various methodologies (synthetic control, linear regression, and difference-in-differences) to approximate the effects of financial incentives on vaccine rates. Our analysis reveals that gift cards increase vaccination rates by 2.64–4.23 percentage points from a baseline rate of 38 percent, concluding that financial incentives, in conjunction with other incentives and policies, can be considered to increase the rate of vaccines for 12- to 17-year-olds.

An Assessment of the Literature on Childhood Vaccination from a Behavioural Economics Perspective

“…Incentives should be added, and the societal value of vaccination should be emphasised when people choose not to vaccinate because they believe the dangers exceed the benefits (Betsch et al, 2015). A study by Erdem, Erdem, and Monson (2023) found that offering a small financial incentive significantly increased the proportion of parents who vaccinated their children by 2.64 to 4.23 percentage. However, incentives may not be effective in all contexts, and there are concerns that they may lead to unintended consequences, such as reducing intrinsic motivation to vaccinate.…”