Smith, L.E. orcid.org/0000-0002-1277-2564, Sherman, S.M. orcid.org/0000-0001-6708-3398, Sim, J. et al. (5 more authors) (2022) Parents’ intention to vaccinate their child for COVID-19: a mixed-methods study (CoVAccS–wave 3). PLOS ONE, 17 (12). e0279285. ISSN 1932-6203
Abstract
Aim
To investigate UK parents’ vaccination intention at a time when COVID-19 vaccination was available to some children.
Methods
Data reported are from the second wave of a prospective cohort study. We conducted a mixed-methods study using an online survey of 270 UK parents (conducted 4–15 October 2021). At this time, vaccination was available to 16- and 17-year-olds and had become available to 12- to 15-year-olds two weeks prior. We asked participants whose child had not yet been vaccinated how likely they were to vaccinate their child for COVID-19. Linear regression analyses were used to investigate factors associated with intention (quantitative component). Parents were also asked for their main reasons behind vaccination intention. Open-ended responses were analysed using content analysis (qualitative component).
Results
Parental vaccination intention was mixed (likely: 39.3%, 95% CI 32.8%, 45.7%; uncertain: 33.9%, 95% CI 27.7%, 40.2%; unlikely: 26.8%, 95% CI 20.9%, 32.6%). Intention was associated with: parental COVID-19 vaccination status; greater perceived necessity and social norms regarding COVID-19 vaccination; greater COVID-19 threat appraisal; and lower vaccine safety and novelty concerns. In those who intended to vaccinate their child, the main reasons for doing so were to protect the child and others. In those who did not intend to vaccinate their child, the main reason was safety concerns.
Conclusions
Parent COVID-19 vaccination status and psychological factors explained a large percentage of the variance in vaccination intention for one’s child. Further study is needed to see whether parents’ intention to vaccinate their child is affected by fluctuating infection rates, more children being vaccinated, and the UK’s reliance on vaccination as a strategy to live with COVID-19.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Editors: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2022 Smith et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
Keywords: | Humans; Child; Intention; COVID-19 Vaccines; Prospective Studies; COVID-19; Parents; Vaccination; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > Department of Psychology (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 17 Oct 2024 09:49 |
Last Modified: | 17 Oct 2024 09:49 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0279285 |
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Sustainable Development Goals: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:218337 |