Vaccine hesitancy of adolescents and their parents in a possible future Pandemic based on their COVID-19 experience

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy and its influencing factors among adolescents and their parents during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic.

Method: The descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in central Turkiye in May 2022, one month after the government lifted social distancing restrictions related to the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic. The sample comprised adolescents aged 12-18 years and their parents. Data was collected using a personal information form and the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale in Pandemics. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. Necessary permissions were obtained from the Provincial Directorate of National Education, the Scientific Research Platform of the Ministry of Health, and the Ethics Committee of Yozgat Bozok University.

Results: Of the 1,324 adolescents, 828(62.5%) were females and 496(37.5%) were males with overall mean age 14.94±1.71 years. Of the 1,305 parents, 689(52.8%) were females and 616(47.2%) were males with overall mean age 41.27±6.27 years. Among the adolescents, 1,215(91.8%) had not received the coronavirus disease-2019 vaccine. Among the parents, 264(20.2%) had not received the vaccine. Among adolescents, 544(44.8%) and among parents, 736(60.6%) cited concerns about potential side effects as the reason for not getting themselves or their child vaccinated. Additionally, 654(49.4%) adolescents and 339(26%) parents expressed vaccine hesitancy in the face of a possible future pandemic. Mean vaccine hesitancy score was 30.78±8.88 among the adolescents, and 31.94±7.72 among the parents. Age, level of their information about the pandemic, intent to be vaccinated in a possible future pandemic, and sources of information about the pandemic were significant factors related to vaccine hesitancy (p<0.05).

Conclusion: There was considerable vaccine hesitancy among the subjects, which calls for focussing on strategies to address the issue to avoid potential negative impact during any future pandemic.