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. 2022 Apr 1;19(7):4212.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph19074212.

Adolescent COVID-19 Vaccine Decision-Making among Parents in Southern California

Suellen Hopfer  1 , Emilia J Fields  1 , Magdalen Ramirez  1 , Sorina Neang Long  1 , Heather C Huszti  2 , Adrijana Gombosev  3 , Bernadette Boden-Albala  1   4   5 , Dara H Sorkin  3   6 , Dan M Cooper  3   7
Affiliations

Adolescent COVID-19 Vaccine Decision-Making among Parents in Southern California

Suellen Hopfer et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Adolescent COVID-19 vaccination has stalled at 53% in the United States. Vaccinating adolescents remains critical to preventing the continued transmission of COVID-19, the emergence of variants, and rare but serious disease in children, and it is the best preventive measure available to return to in-person schooling. We investigated parent-adolescent COVID-19 vaccine decision-making. Between 24 February and 15 March 2021, we conducted surveys and 12 focus groups with 46 parent-adolescent dyads in Southern California. Parents and adolescents completed a survey prior to participation in a focus group discussion, which focused on exploring COVID-19 vaccine acceptance or uncertainty and was guided by the 5C vaccine hesitancy model. Parents uncertain about vaccinating adolescents expressed low vaccine confidence and high COVID-19 disease risk complacency. Parents who accepted COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents expressed high confidence in health authority vaccine recommendations, high perceived COVID-19 risk, and collective responsibility to vaccinate children. Additionally, unique pandemic-related factors of vaccine acceptance included vaccinating for emotional health, resuming social activities, and vaccine mandates. Among parents, 46% were willing to vaccinate their adolescent, 11% were not, and 43% were unsure. Among adolescents, 63% were willing to vaccinate. Despite vaccine availability, 47% of adolescents remain unvaccinated against COVID-19. Factors associated with vaccine uncertainty and acceptability inform health care practitioner, school, community, and public health messaging to reach parents and adolescents.

Keywords: 5C vaccine hesitancy model; adolescent COVID-19 vaccination; parent vaccine decision-making; public health vaccine communication; vaccine acceptance; vaccine confidence.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Top Parental Concerns for Vaccinating Adolescents against COVID-19.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Top Adolescent Concerns for Vaccinating against COVID-19.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Top Parental Motivators for Vaccinating Adolescents against COVID-19.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Top Adolescent Motivators for Vaccinating against COVID-19.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Graphical Representation of Qualitative Results.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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