Parent’s Perspective towards Child COVID-19 Vaccination: An Online Cross-Sectional Study in Mexico

Abstract

COVID-19 vaccination programs continue in child populations. Thus, parents’ attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination of their children is crucial for these strategies to succeed. The present study derives from the application of an online COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance & Hesitancy Questionnaire (COV-AHQ) in which we measure parent’s hesitancy towards children’s vaccination (section 4 of the COV-AHQ) and other significant factors. A logistic regression analysis with backward stepwise method was used to quantify the associations between factors and parent’s hesitancy. According to the correlation analysis, the most representative factors predicting vaccine hesitancy/acceptance were positive attitude towards vaccination, parents believing that the COVID-19 vaccine will enhance the economic situation of the country, parents actively researching information, having the willingness to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine themselves, and the possibility of their children developing adverse effects. Our findings also showed that parents are highly interested in having their children vaccinated. Nonetheless, parents expressed high levels of concern involving their children in developing adverse effects from the vaccine. In addition, obtaining influenza immunization prompted interest in obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine, and younger-aged parents are much more concerned with having their children vaccinated. Therefore, in order to ensure successful vaccination programs, policymakers and health authorities should design strategies to gain confidence and provide security amongst the population, including giving continuous information about the benefits of vaccination and presenting the frequency of side effects to bring parents on board with vaccinating their children.

COVID-19 Vaccine for Children: Vaccination Willingness of Parents and Its Associated Factors—A Network Analysis

“…It was shown that whether parents were vaccinated against COVID-19 themselves was related to the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine for children. This is in line with past research, as similar findings have been found in different countries as well [ 35 , 62 , 63 ]. It is suggested that parents’ decision of whether to vaccinate their children or not might be partially driven by the same motivations, such as the protection of others, that equally shape their individual vaccination decision.…”

“…Based on the centrality indices, it was shown that, among all variables, collective responsibility displayed the most connections to all other variables. Similar findings have been found in past research as well [ 63 , 64 , 65 ]. Overall, these findings illustrate the determining role of an internal feeling of collective responsibility in vaccine acceptance.…”

Immunogenicity of BNT162b2 Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant and Attitudes toward a COVID-19 Booster Dose among Healthy Thai Adolescents

“…Although there is a plethora of information regarding vaccine uptake and acceptance in adults, little is known about adolescent and parental hesitancy and underlying intentions for COVID-19 vaccines [ 17 , 18 ]. Of the studies that do exist, most examine vaccine acceptance rates and hesitancy, and were carried out before vaccines were authorized for use in adolescents [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. Additionally, these studies focus on the primary series of vaccination, not booster doses.…”

Vaccine hesitancy from the parent perspectives: protocol for a qualitative study in Iran

“…As a result of the vaccines and vaccination programmes, many preventable diseases have been reduced drastically, and more than two million deaths have been prevented each year. 18 Vaccination mainly targets children, and countries all over the world have taken several measures to enhance vaccination rates among children. 19 Nevertheless, there is a significant rise among parents who refuse to vaccinate their children.…”