Factors Associated With Parental Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination: A Multicenter Pediatric Emergency Department Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Study objectiveDuring the delta surge of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, we sought to identify characteristics and beliefs associated with COVID-19 vaccination acceptance in parents of pediatric emergency department (ED) patients.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey-based study of the parents of children aged 3 to 16 years presenting to 1 of 9 pediatric EDs from June to August 2021 to assess the parental acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines. Using multiple variable regression, we ascertained which factors were associated with parental and pediatric COVID-19 vaccination acceptance.ResultsOf 1,491 parents approached, 1,298 (87%) participated, of whom 50% of the parents and 27% of their children aged 12 years or older and older were vaccinated. Characteristics associated with parental COVID-19 vaccination were trust in scientists (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 5.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.65 to 7.15), recent influenza vaccination (aOR 2.66, 95% CI 1.98 to 3.58), college degree (aOR 1.97, 95% CI 1.36 to 2.85), increasing parental age (aOR 1.80, 95% CI 1.45 to 2.22), a friend or family member hospitalized because of COVID-19 (aOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.72), and higher income (aOR 1.60, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.00). Characteristics associated with pediatric COVID-19 vaccination (children aged ≥12 years) or intended COVID-19 pediatric vaccination, once approved for use, (children aged <12 years) were parental trust in scientists (aOR 5.37, 95% CI 3.65 to 7.88), recent influenza vaccination (aOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.77), trust in the media (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.37), parental college degree (aOR 1.49, 95% CI 1.01 to 2.20), and increasing parental age (aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.57).ConclusionOverall COVID-19 vaccination acceptance was low. Trust in scientists had the strongest association with parental COVID-19 vaccine acceptance for both themselves and their children

Impact of a hypothetical COVID-19 vaccine mandate on parental likelihood to vaccinate children: Exploring school-related concerns and vaccination decision-making.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the impact of a hypothetical school-entry COVID-19 vaccine mandate on parental likelihood to vaccinate their child. METHODS: We collected demographics, COVID-19-related school concerns, and parental likelihood to vaccinate their child from parents of patients aged 3-16 years seen across nine pediatric Emergency Departments from 06/07/2021 to 08/13/2021. Wilcoxon signed-rank test compared pre- and post-mandate vaccination likelihood. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyses explored associations between parental concerns with baseline and change in vaccination likelihood, respectively. RESULTS: Vaccination likelihood increased from 43% to 50% with a hypothetical vaccine mandate (Z = -6.69, p \u3c 0.001), although most parents (63%) had no change, while 26% increased and 11% decreased their vaccination likelihood. Parent concerns about their child contracting COVID-19 was associated with greater baseline vaccination likelihood. No single school-related concern explained the increased vaccination likelihood with a mandate. CONCLUSION: Parental school-related concerns did not drive changes in likelihood to vaccinate with a mandate