Persistently low rates of COVID-19 vaccination in Black and Hispanic children suggest that parents in these communities tend to be hesitant about the vaccine for their kids, even when they have received it themselves. Through interviews with parents of school-aged children, a new study sheds light on the factors influencing decisions about vaccination. Findings were published in the June issue of the Vaccine: X journal.
Researchers derived five core values that parents used to appraise COVID-19 vaccination – safety, knowledge, trust, humanity and autonomy.
"In talking with parents from minoritized communities, we found that when these core values were upheld, parents expressed more confidence in the vaccine, while if the values were threatened, there was greater skepticism and hesitancy," said senior author Andrea Spencer, MD , Vice Chair for Research at the Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "Consideration of these values could help inform targeted public health campaigns and respectful discussions with parents about vaccination in the doctor's office."
Dr. Spencer and colleagues described the core values as:
- Safety – importance of avoiding harm and concern about adverse effects for self and family
- Knowledge – baseline knowledge about vaccines and information about COVID-19 vaccine learned from various sources and family experiences
- Trust – cultural and historical context influencing trust of medical research, health systems and health professionals
- Humanity – importance of feeling respected and cared for as unique individuals and considering specific circumstances
- Autonomy – importance of their own decision about the vaccine, feeling empowered, and empowering children to decide
For the study, researchers interviewed 20 caregivers (62% Non-Hispanic Black, 29% Hispanic) of children ages 5–11 years-old. Caregivers had all received at least one vaccine dose and 62% of children were vaccinated against COVID-19.
"Our data suggest that the core values we describe are particularly shaped and amplified by experiences of systemic racism among racial and ethnic minoritized families," said Dr. Spencer. "Historical harms, inequities in healthcare access, and cultural mistrust influenced their perceptions and decisions about vaccination."
"Vaccination policies implemented according to these values could not only be more equitable and effective but also could build trust in public health systems," she stressed.
The study was funded in part by the National Institute of Mental Health grant K23MH118478 to Dr. Spencer.
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago is a nonprofit organization committed to providing access to exceptional care for every child. It is the only independent, research-driven children's hospital in Illinois and one of less than 35 nationally. This is where the top doctors go to train, practice pediatric medicine, teach, advocate, research and stay up to date on the latest treatments. Exclusively focused on children, all Lurie Children's resources are devoted to serving their needs. Research at Lurie Children's is conducted through Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, which is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children's is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. It is ranked as one of the nation's top children's hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.
