Exploring Hesitancy, Motivations, and Practical Issues for COVID-19 Vaccination Among Vaccine-Hesitant Adopter Parents Using the Increasing Vaccination Model

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 vaccination coverage among children remains low, and many parents report being hesitant to get their children vaccinated. This study explores factors influencing hesitancy and the facilitators that helped hesitant adopter parents choose to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 despite their hesitancy.

Method: We use a qualitative descriptive design with individual interviews (n = 20) to explore COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and facilitators of vaccination among hesitant adopter parents. The Increasing Vaccination Model domains (thoughts and feelings, social processes, and practical issues) provided the framework for initial coding, and the research team identified nine emergent themes.

Results: Findings document the factors influencing hesitancy and the facilitators motivating COVID-19 vaccination among hesitant adopter parents.

Discussion: Findings fill the gap in the literature by providing hesitant adopters' lived experience, perspectives on vaccine hesitancy, and the influential factors that helped participants overcome their hesitancy and choose to vaccinate their children against COVID-19.

Keywords: Vaccine Delays; Vaccine hesitancies; hesitant adopters; parents/guardians; qualitative descriptive study.