Evaluating COVID-19 Vaccine Willingness and Hesitancy among Parents of Children Aged 5–11 Years with Chronic Conditions in Italy

Abstract

COVID-19 vaccination has been extended to include children aged 5–11 years. This cross-sectional survey evaluated parental COVID-19 vaccine willingness and hesitancy, and associated factors, for their children aged 5–11 years with chronic conditions. A telephone survey was conducted from 14 December 2021 to 4 January 2022. The questionnaire assessed participants’ socio-demographic and health-related information, attitudes towards COVID-19 infection, hesitancy, by using the PACV-5 (Parent Attitudes About Childhood Vaccines Survey Tool), and sources of information. A total of 430 answers were collected anonymously. Respondents with no cohabitant who had been infected by SARS-CoV-2 and having been vaccinated against COVID-19 had a higher concern about the severity of COVID-19. The parents’ perceived risk that the child could be infected by SARS-CoV-2 was higher in those more concerned about the severity of COVID-19, with an older child, and who had at least one cohabitant positive for COVID-19. Only 38.8% parents were willing to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. Parents who did not need additional information, those with higher education, those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, those whose child was older, who had received information on this vaccination from physicians, with higher self-reported concern about the severity of COVID-19, and who had a higher perceived risk that their child could be infected by SARS-CoV-2, expressed a greater willingness to vaccinate their child. Overall, 26.3% were high-hesitant, with a PACV-5 score ≥ 7. Respondents who did not get the COVID-19 vaccine, were less educated, with a lower concern about severity of COVID-19, and with a lower perceived risk that their child could be infected by SARS-CoV-2, were more likely to be high-hesitant. New policies and educational programs regarding COVID-19 vaccination for children with chronic conditions are needed to reduce hesitancy and increase vaccination uptake.

Parents’ Intentions and Associated Factors to Vaccinating Their Children Aged 12–17 Years with COVID-19 Vaccines: A Cross Sectional Study

“…Other published studies found that low socioeconomic status was a predictor for vaccine hesitancy among parents [22,33]. In contrast with our result, the likelihood of children's vaccination was found to be greater among parents with a bachelor's degree or higher in Romania, Germany, and Italy [10,34,35]. This contradiction could refer to Western populations generally having a higher education level than our study group in Egypt.…”

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Campaign: Risk Perception, Emotional States, and Vaccine Hesitancy in a Sample of Adolescents’ Vaccinated Parents in Southern Italy

“…Participants who were housewives (24.20 ± 4.52) or unemployed (24 ± 4.08) showed higher averages than those who worked (23.96 ± 3.91), were employed by a public or private com-pany (23.30 ± 4.66), were office workers (22.90 ± 7.90), or were freelancers (22.58 ± 4.53). These results are in line with findings in the literature [19,27] that consider the variables of schooling and work occupation as factors influencing vaccine hesitancy.…”

Parents' Hesitancy to Vaccinate Their Children Against COVID-19, a Country-Wide Survey

“…In COVID-19, children's vaccination does not only protect them but might provide an indirect advantage in protecting the older unvaccinated people ( 30 ). Globally, early in the pandemic or recent data both have revealed an elevated parental hesitancy toward the children's COVID-19 vaccination ( 18 , 31 , 32 ). Regionally, a recent study from Kuwait showed substantially higher parental rejection (55.8%) for children's COVID-19 vaccination ( 33 ).…”