COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among Italian parents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

In May 2021, the Italian government extended the COVID-19 vaccination campaign to 12- to 18-year-old subjects and, starting December 2021, vaccines were also offered to children between 5 and 11 years-old. Despite these efforts, suboptimal vaccination coverages are reported. The purpose of this review is to estimate the proportion of parents/caregivers of children and adolescents expressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Italy. The vaccine hesitation rate among parents of minors was 55.1% (95%CI: 43.8-66.1%). A higher value was evidenced in studies focusing on children (59.9%; 95%CI = 43.7-75.1%) compared to the ones focusing on adolescents (51.3%; 95%CI = 34.5-68.0%). The main reasons for unwillingness were the belief that the vaccine was unsafe or ineffective, fear of adverse events, and considering COVID-19 a non-threatening disease. The implementation of effective communication campaigns and health educational programs on safe pediatric vaccinations is essential to support strategies to bolster vaccination confidence.

Automated summary

In May 2021, the Italian government expanded the COVID-19 vaccination campaign to include children and adolescents aged 12-18, and later on children aged 5-11 starting from December 2021. However, there are suboptimal vaccination coverages in Italy. A review found that 55.1% of parents of minors and 59.9% of parents of children expressed vaccine hesitancy, citing concerns about safety, effectiveness, and the perception of COVID-19 as a non-threatening disease. Effective communication campaigns and health educational programs are needed to enhance vaccination confidence.