Parental COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the United States

Objective: Little is known about parents' willingness to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. We assessed the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy among parents with a child or adolescent aged 12-15 years, examined predictors of parents' COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, their reasons for resisting a pediatric COVID-19 vaccine, and the correlation between parents' intentions to vaccinate their child and the acceptance of a vaccine for themselves. Methods: We conducted a national online survey of 637 parents of a child or adolescent aged 12-15 years in March 2021, before COVID-19 vaccines had been approved for this age group. We assessed univariate predictors of vaccine hesitancy, and we used logistic regression analysis to assess independent effects of variables on vaccine hesitancy. Results: Nearly one-third (28.9%; 95% CI, 25.5%-32.5%) of respondents reported pediatric vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine-hesitant parents were less knowledgeable about vaccines, more accepting of vaccine conspiracies, and less worried about COVID-19 risks to their child's health than vaccine-accepting parents were. Vaccine hesitancy was higher among female (vs male), single (vs married/living as married), older (vs younger), low income (vs high income), non-college graduates (vs college graduates), and Republican (vs Democrat) parents. The primary concerns expressed by vaccine-hesitant parents pertained to vaccine safety rather than vaccine effectiveness. One-quarter of vaccine-hesitant parents preferred that their child obtain immunity through infection rather than vaccination. Non-vaccine-hesitant parents' reasons for vaccinating focused on protecting the health of their child and others. Childhood COVID-19 vaccine acceptance was strongly associated with parents' intentions to get the vaccine for themselves. Conclusion: A messaging strategy for effective public health interventions that includes educating the public about vaccination, countering misinformation about vaccine development and safety, and stressing the safety of approved COVID-19 vaccines may boost vaccine acceptance among vaccine-hesitant parents.

Automated summary

This study aimed to understand parents' willingness to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. The survey found that nearly one-third of parents had vaccine hesitancy. Hesitant parents had less knowledge about vaccines, were more susceptible to vaccine conspiracies, and were less concerned about the risks of COVID-19 to their children. Vaccine hesitancy was more common among female, single, older, low-income, non-college graduate, and Republican parents. The primary concern for vaccine-hesitant parents was vaccine safety. Parents who were willing to vaccinate their children focused on protecting their child and others. The acceptance of childhood COVID-19 vaccines was strongly associated with parents' intentions to get vaccinated themselves. Therefore, a messaging strategy that educates the public about vaccines, counters misinformation, and emphasizes the safety of approved COVID-19 vaccines may increase vaccine acceptance among hesitant parents.