Factors Affecting Parental Intent to Vaccinate Against COVID-19 in the United States.

Abstract

Introduction: The topic of childhood vaccinations has become increasingly contentious, sparking debate, and creating challenging decisions for parents. This study aimed to explore the factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination decisions for parents of unvaccinated children and identify the most common reasons for not vaccinating children against COVID-19 in the U.S.

Methods: Authors analyzed data from Phase 3.7, Week 53 of the United States Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey (N = 68,504), collected from January 4 to January 16, 2023. Standard descriptive statistics and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) were used to analyze the data.

Results: The top three reasons for vaccine hesitancy were concerns about side effects, lack of trust in the vaccine, and the perception that children in the household were not part of a high-risk group. Among respondents, nearly 87% (n = 59,363) reported receiving a COVID- 19 vaccination, and these individuals were more inclined to vaccinate their children across all age groups studied. Additionally, participants with higher levels of education (bachelor's degree or higher) were more likely to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 (aOR = 5.79; 95% CI, 5.43-6.17; p <0.001).

Conclusions: Findings from the study suggest that some parents are still concerned about the COVID-19 vaccine and are hesitant to vaccinate their children against the disease. Information and insights from this study allow for a greater understanding of how parents are making this decision nearly three years after the pandemic officially began. Further studies are needed to determine how other factors, such as geographical location, also may affect parental COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy.