Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada.
Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Division of Infectious Diseases, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G1X8, Canada.
Vaccine. 2024 Jul 25;42(19):3974-3980. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.05.007. Epub 2024 May 20.
Although COVID-19 vaccine safety in 5-11-year-old children has been documented, half of Ontarian children this age remain unvaccinated. This study aimed to assess caregivers' vaccine acceptance for 5-11-year-old children and identify factors associated with vaccine non-acceptance.
A multi-language self-administered survey was sent to caregivers of 5-11-year-old children through schools and community health centers within the Greater Toronto Area from April-July 2022. Sociodemographic characteristics and immunization behaviours were collected for caregivers, their 5-11-year-old children, and any older siblings. The primary outcome, COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, was previous uptake of COVID-19 vaccine or caregiver intent to vaccinate for their 5-11-year-old child. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression.
In total, 807 caregivers were included in analysis. Although 93 % of caregivers had received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, 77 % had a 5-11-year-old child who received at least one dose of vaccine. Caregivers age was associated with vaccine acceptance (vs. < 40 years; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.1, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.4-3.1 for ages 40-49; aOR 2.8, 95 % CI 1.1-7.1 for ages ≥50 years). Immunization factors associated with vaccine acceptance included caregiver COVID-19 vaccination (aOR 38.1 vs. unvaccinated caregivers; 95 % CI 15.8-92.3), older siblings COVID-19 vaccination (aOR 49.2 vs. unvaccinated siblings; 95 % CI 18.3-132.3), and recent influenza vaccination for the child (aOR 6.9 vs. no influenza vaccine; 95 % CI 4.6-10.5). Among 189 caregivers with unvaccinated 5-11-year-old children, the most common reasons for non-acceptance were concerns about long-term side effects (59 %), lack of experience vaccinating children (41 %), and concerns that vaccines were developed too quickly (39 %).
Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination for 5-11-year-old children were associated with caregiver vaccine behaviors and sociodemographic factors. These findings highlight groups of caregivers that can be targeted for educational interventions and concerns that may be addressed to increase vaccine confidence.
尽管已经有研究证明了 COVID-19 疫苗在 5-11 岁儿童中的安全性，但安大略省仍有一半该年龄段的儿童未接种疫苗。本研究旨在评估照顾者对 5-11 岁儿童疫苗的接受程度，并确定与疫苗不接受相关的因素。
2022 年 4 月至 7 月，通过大多伦多地区的学校和社区卫生中心，向 5-11 岁儿童的照顾者发送了一份多语言的自我管理调查问卷。收集了照顾者及其 5-11 岁儿童的社会人口统计学特征和免疫接种行为，以及任何年龄较大的兄弟姐妹的信息。主要结果是 COVID-19 疫苗的接受程度，即以前是否接种过 COVID-19 疫苗或照顾者是否打算为其 5-11 岁的孩子接种疫苗。使用描述性统计和多变量逻辑回归对数据进行分析。
共有 807 名照顾者参与了分析。尽管 93%的照顾者已接种两剂 COVID-19 疫苗，但仍有 77%的照顾者的 5-11 岁儿童至少接种了一剂疫苗。照顾者的年龄与疫苗接种接受程度相关（与 <40 岁相比；年龄在 40-49 岁的调整后优势比 [aOR] 为 2.1，95%置信区间 [CI] 为 1.4-3.1；年龄≥50 岁的 aOR 为 2.8，95%CI 为 1.1-7.1）。与疫苗接种接受程度相关的免疫因素包括照顾者 COVID-19 疫苗接种（aOR 38.1 与未接种疫苗的照顾者相比；95%CI 15.8-92.3）、年龄较大的兄弟姐妹 COVID-19 疫苗接种（aOR 49.2 与未接种疫苗的兄弟姐妹相比；95%CI 18.3-132.3）和儿童最近接种流感疫苗（aOR 6.9 与未接种流感疫苗相比；95%CI 4.6-10.5）。在 189 名有未接种 5-11 岁儿童的照顾者中，不接受疫苗的最常见原因是担心长期副作用（59%）、缺乏为儿童接种疫苗的经验（41%）以及担心疫苗开发得太快（39%）。
5-11 岁儿童 COVID-19 疫苗接种的接受程度与照顾者的疫苗接种行为和社会人口统计学因素有关。这些发现突出了可以针对教育干预的照顾者群体以及可能需要解决的担忧，以增加疫苗信心。
