PARENTAL PERCEPTION OF COVID-19 VACCINATION IN CHILDREN UNDER 18 YEARS

ABSTRACT

Purpose of Study To identify factors influencing acceptance or refusal of COVID-19 vaccine by parents of children at a university affiliated community healthcare center. The introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine has been crucial in the mitigation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, the vaccine was targeted at healthcare workers and other high-risk adults. Early in the pandemic, studies in adults on vaccine hesitancy noted concerns about the supposed novelty and efficacy of the vaccine. Studies in China and the UK established that most parents were willing to vaccinate their children with the COVID-19 vaccine even though they expressed concerns about safety and efficacy. This study aims to identify potential barriers and uncertainties that parents express when considering vaccinating their children. Methods Used Cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire completed by English and Spanish-speaking parents/guardians requesting acute or well child care for their children less than 18 years of age at a university-affiliated pediatric ambulatory care center from April 2021 to May 2021. Summary of Results 223 subjects, predominantly mothers (90.1%), participated in the study. 49.8% of children were male and 48.4% female. The mean age of all children was 6.79 ± 5.4 years. 74% of the participants identified themselves as Hispanic, 17.9% as African American/Black, and 5.8% as 'mixed'. Concerning vaccinating their children against COVID-19, 23.8% of the respondents, stated 'Yes definitely' to agreeing to give the vaccine to their child, while 37.7% were 'Unsure but leaning towards yes'. 9.9% had 'No opinion', 13.5% were 'Unsure but leaning towards no', and 14.3% stated, 'No, definitely not'. Reasons for vaccine refusal include;uncertainty about vaccine efficacy (46.2%), concerns about hurried vaccine production (31.4%), belief that the child will get sick after vaccination (23.8%) and, being generally opposed to vaccines (4.5%). Conclusions In a largely Hispanic population, majority of parents/guardians were unsure but leaning towards accepting the COVID-19 vaccine for their children. Common reasons for vaccine refusal were concerns for efficacy and the rapid speed of production. This data suggests that specific vaccine education is needed in this community to address the concerns of efficacy, speedy vaccine production, and reactivity after vaccine administration to increase parental acceptance of COVID- 19 vaccine administration in their children.