Parental COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among parents of children aged 5–18 years in Thailand: a cross-sectional survey study

Abstract

Background To promote an acceptance rate of COVID-19 immunization among Thai children, concerns about parental vaccination hesitancy should be urgently studied. This study aimed to examine the parental COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy (PVh) level and influencing factors among Thai parents of children 5–18 years of age. Methods This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Thailand during May and June of 2022. The Google forms for data collection were distributed to parents (a father, a mother, or one who nurtures and raises a child) via various online social media. Data regarding PVh level, relevant attitudes, experiences of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination (EC&V), and family contexts (FC) were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare the differences among groups of parents based on EC&V and FC. The factors influencing PVh were assessed by multiple regression analysis. Results Four hundred and eighty-eight parents completed the online questionnaire. Their median (IQR) age was 41 (35–47) years. They lived in different provinces from all regions across Thailand. Ninety percent of them were authorized persons to make decision about children vaccination. Fifty-eight percent of the respondents had vaccine hesitancy, defined as PVh level at moderate or above. Parents who had ever refused COVID-19 vaccination for themselves or refused to vaccinate their children against any other diseases had statistically significant higher levels of PVh (p value < 0.001). Conversely, the parents who had finished the initial COVID-19 vaccine had lower PVh levels with statistical significance (p value = 0.001). Attitude towards COVID-19 (AC), attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine (AV), and perceived behavioral control (PC) of the parents negatively influenced PVh with statistical significance, according to the results of the multiple regression analysis (Betas = − 0.307, − 0.123, and − 0.232, respectively). Conclusions COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy was commonly found among Thai parents. The factors of the hesitancy were multifaceted. Different experiences regarding COVID-19 vaccination for themselves and any vaccinations for their children were associated with different PVhs. The attitudes especially AC, AV, and PC statistically influenced PVh. These findings should be exploited for national and local policy planning as well as public campaigns.

Health Belief Model and parents' acceptance of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5–18 years Old: A national survey

“…The acceptance rates of Pfizer-BioNTech for children aged 12-18 and under 5-11 in our study were higher than the rate mentioned above. Another study, recruiting participants via social network platforms, reported that 42% of respondents accepted the COVID-19 vaccine [16] , which is much lower than our study's finding.…”

“…This study examined parents’ acceptance of the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-18 and its association with HBM domains. Compared to two previous studies [16] , [17] , this was the first nation-wide study with probability sampling. The findings showed that 90% and 36% of the respondents accepted the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, respectively.…”

Parental Vaccine Literacy: Attitudes towards the COVID-19 Vaccines and Intention to Vaccinate Their Children Aged 5–11 Years against COVID-19 in Thailand

“…The lower rate of intention to have their children vaccinated was associated with being uncertain about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine [ 20 , 22 , 31 ]. We found that parents’ intention to vaccinate themselves and their intention to vaccinate their children were not significantly associated in this study, although this association was significant in other studies [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 37 , 38 ]. The different intention rates may be due to differences in the age groups being studied [ 39 , 40 ].…”

COVID‐19 vaccine wastage in Thailand amidst vaccine inequity and pandemic‐to‐endemic transition

“…This is despite 96.7% of the parents having been vaccinated, although statistical analysis showed that having completed the initial vaccination (two-dose) is a protective factor. Negative attitudes toward COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines, a history of refusing COVID-19 vaccination for themselves and other vaccinations for children are associated with a higher risk of vaccine hesitancy [19]. This may limit the vaccine uptake in the recently launched vaccination drive for children, causing wastage of the vaccines allocated for the program.…”