Factors associated with parental COVID-19 vaccine attitudes and intentions among a national sample of United States adults ages 18-45

Abstract

Purpose: This study explored factors associated with parents' attitudes and intentions to seek information about the COVID-19 vaccine for their children (ages 0-18) and intentions to vaccinate their age-eligible children.

Design and methods: As part of an anonymous online cross-sectional survey, parents' vaccine attitudes, COVID-19 vaccine intentions for their children, health literacy, health numeracy, and sociodemographic variables were assessed. Multivariable ordered logistic regression models identified factors associated with parents' COVID-19 vaccine intentions for their children.

Results: Parents/guardians (n = 963) were mostly White (82.3%), insured (88.0%), and college graduates (57.3%). Men reported higher intentions than women to seek information about the COVID-19 vaccine for their children (p = 0.003) and higher intentions to vaccinate their children (p = 0.049). Parental characteristics associated with increased intentions to have their children vaccinated included higher educational attainment (p < 0.001), more positive general vaccine attitudes (p < 0.001), preference for health information in a language other than English (p = 0.006), higher income (p = 0.048), having health insurance (p = 0.05), health literacy (p = 0.024), and health numeracy (p = 0.049).

Conclusions: Multiple sociodemographic characteristics including male gender, higher health literacy and numeracy, and language preference are noteworthy factors associated with parental COVID-19 vaccine intentions that could inform the planning and implementation of educational interventions.

Practice implications: Nurses are important sources of trusted information and play an important role in parent/family health education and in understanding myriad factors that may improve attitudes and enhance readiness toward vaccine uptake. Our findings emphasize the potential value of examining tailored/targeted COVID-19 vaccine education according to key influencing factors.

Keywords: COVID-19; Health literacy; Health numeracy; Parental attitudes; Pediatrics; Vaccine beliefs.