A Qualitative Exploration of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Parents

Authors: Aubree Honcoop, James R Roberts, Boyd Davis, Charlene Pope, Erin Dawley, Russell McCulloh, Maryam Y Garza, Melody L Greer, Jessica Snowden, Linda Y Fu, Heather Young, Walter Dehority, Paul Enlow, Delma-Jean Watts, Katie Queen, Lisa Costello, Zain Alamarat, Paul M Darden

Why was this study conducted?

Research has shown that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective at protecting children from severe COVID-19 disease. However, some parents have not yet vaccinated their children. Fewer children from a rural, Spanish-speaking, or Black backgrounds have received the vaccine than others.[i] We wanted to find out what parents from these groups think about the vaccine for their children. We interviewed parents about their concerns to learn how to address them and build their confidence in the vaccines.

What was done?

We selected 36 parents who lived in rural areas, spoke Spanish, and/or identified as Black. We only included parents with one or more unvaccinated children. We spoke with them about their thoughts for or against the COVID-19 vaccine.

What was found?

Many parents, whether they were for, against, or unsure about the COVID-19 vaccine, reported that they would listen to their doctor for vaccine information. Some parents wanted to know how well the vaccine protects children. Some parents also considered their child’s preferences for getting the vaccine. Others were concerned about the vaccine causing side effects or impacting health conditions such as asthma.

What do the results mean?

These results suggest what topics scientists might include in a mobile app designed to inform parents about the COVID-19 vaccine. However, this information was from a small number of parents and may not apply to people from other backgrounds.

Who sponsored this study?

This research was supported by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program in the Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Appreciation:

Most of all, we thank the parents who took part in the study. We also thank the site coordinators, clinic staff, and ECHO ISPCTN Data Coordinating & Operations Center staff for their support.

You may learn more about this publication here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37867449/

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine for children, visit:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or
• The American Academy of Pediatrics

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

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[i] The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has identified individuals from rural, medically underserved, and migrant communities as high priorities for vaccination and vaccine communication efforts. This includes children living in rural areas, from Spanish-speaking households, or who identify as Black. For current data on COVID-19, including vaccination rates, please visit the CDC website.