tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Eur J Pediatr
. 2021 Dec 22.
doi: 10.1007/s00431-021-04343-1. Online ahead of print.
Students' age and parental level of education influence COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy
Anna Zychlinsky Scharff[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 [/SUP], Mira Paulsen[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 2 [/SUP], Paula Schaefer[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Fatma Tanisik[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Rizky Indrameikha Sugianto[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nils Stanislawski[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Holger Blume[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Bernhard M W Schmidt[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Stefanie Heiden[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Meike Stiesch[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Anette Melk[SUP] 7 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Widespread vaccination in pursuit of herd immunity has been recognized as the most promising approach to ending the global pandemic of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). The vaccination of children and adolescents has been extensively debated and the first COVID-19 vaccine is now approved in European countries for children aged > 12 years of age. Our study investigates vaccination hesitancy in a cohort of German secondary school students. We assessed 903 students between age 9 and 20 in the period between 17 May 2021 and 30 June 2021. 68.3% (n = 617) reported intention to undergo COVID-19 vaccination, while 7% (n = 62) did not want to receive the vaccine and 15% (n = 135) were not yet certain. Age and parental level of education influenced COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Children under the age of 16 as well as students whose parents had lower education levels showed significantly higher vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion: Identifying subsets with higher vaccination hesitancy is important for targeting public information campaigns in support of immunization. What is Known: • The willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination among adults in Europe is about 70%, but data for children and adolescents is lacking. • The lack of immunization in younger cohorts represents a significant barrier to achieving herd immunity, and also leaves children and adolescents vulnerable to acute and long-term morbidity from natural COVID-19 infections. What is New: • Intention-to-vaccinate among children and adolescents is high (~ 70%); conversely, vaccination hesitancy is low. • Age and parental level of education influenced COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among children and adolescents.
Keywords: Adolescents; COVID-19; Children; Vaccination; Vaccine hesitancy.
. 2021 Dec 22.
doi: 10.1007/s00431-021-04343-1. Online ahead of print.
Students' age and parental level of education influence COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy
Anna Zychlinsky Scharff[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 [/SUP], Mira Paulsen[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 2 [/SUP], Paula Schaefer[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Fatma Tanisik[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Rizky Indrameikha Sugianto[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nils Stanislawski[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Holger Blume[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Bernhard M W Schmidt[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Stefanie Heiden[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Meike Stiesch[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Anette Melk[SUP] 7 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34935085
- DOI: 10.1007/s00431-021-04343-1
Abstract
Widespread vaccination in pursuit of herd immunity has been recognized as the most promising approach to ending the global pandemic of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). The vaccination of children and adolescents has been extensively debated and the first COVID-19 vaccine is now approved in European countries for children aged > 12 years of age. Our study investigates vaccination hesitancy in a cohort of German secondary school students. We assessed 903 students between age 9 and 20 in the period between 17 May 2021 and 30 June 2021. 68.3% (n = 617) reported intention to undergo COVID-19 vaccination, while 7% (n = 62) did not want to receive the vaccine and 15% (n = 135) were not yet certain. Age and parental level of education influenced COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Children under the age of 16 as well as students whose parents had lower education levels showed significantly higher vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion: Identifying subsets with higher vaccination hesitancy is important for targeting public information campaigns in support of immunization. What is Known: • The willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination among adults in Europe is about 70%, but data for children and adolescents is lacking. • The lack of immunization in younger cohorts represents a significant barrier to achieving herd immunity, and also leaves children and adolescents vulnerable to acute and long-term morbidity from natural COVID-19 infections. What is New: • Intention-to-vaccinate among children and adolescents is high (~ 70%); conversely, vaccination hesitancy is low. • Age and parental level of education influenced COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among children and adolescents.
Keywords: Adolescents; COVID-19; Children; Vaccination; Vaccine hesitancy.