Preparing for A COVID-19 Vaccine: A Mixed Methods Study of Vaccine Hesitant Parents

Abstract

This study investigated vaccine acceptance of putative COVID-19 vaccines among a national sample of vaccine hesitant parents. Vaccine hesitancy and politicization of vaccine development has led to a pronounced distrust of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. A total of 1,381 vaccine-hesitant parents participated in this study. Participants indicated a general unwillingness to vaccinate their children (<i>M</i> = 3.55, <i>SD </i>= 2.13) and themselves (<i>M</i> = 3.58, <i>SD </i>= 2.16) when a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available. More educated parents were more likely to plan to vaccinate themselves [<i>F</i>(5, 533) = 9.93, <i>p</i> < .05] and their children [<i>F</i>(5, 533) = 10.278, <i>p</i> < .05]. Understanding vaccine hesitant parents offers crucial insights as a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available for the general public and as we wait for a vaccine to be approved for pediatric use.