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New study published on the preprint server medRxiv * shows great motivation among Latinx parents who have attended a neighborhood screening / vaccination center for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to have their children vaccinated.
Researchers also found that doctors and community organizers were the primary sources of information for parents about COVID-19 and available vaccines. These people were also seen as reliable sources of information among parents reluctant to get vaccinated.
Study: Strong parental motivation for the vaccine at a neighborhood vaccination and testing site serving a predominantly Latinx community. Image Credit: Ringo Chiu / Shutterstock.com
context
California is a state with high rates of COVID-19, which is a disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In California, the Latinx community has been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
The vulnerability of the California Latinx population to COVID-19 is likely due to the high percentage of frontline workers in this population, thereby increasing their risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2. To deal with this increased risk of contracting COVID-19, neighborhood centers that offer both COVID-19 tests and vaccinations have been set up in these communities.
One of the main goals of these neighborhood centers is to expand access to the vaccine, as well as to build closer relationships using local, Latinx-friendly staff from the same community. In doing so, public health experts hope to achieve a higher vaccination rate in this high-risk group and eventually develop a more effective approach to extend vaccination to children under 12 once the vaccine is approved.
Study details
The present study examined parental attitudes towards immunizing children at an outdoor site for testing and vaccination which primarily attracts Latinxes from the community of San Francisco, California. The center was created by a partnership called Unidos en Salud, which consists of the community (Latino Task Force), as well as several academic institutions (University of California San Francisco (UCSF0, UC (University of California) Berkeley and Chan- Zuckerberg Biohub) and the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
This collaborative effort has been offering free testing and vaccination for COVID-19 since April 2020 and January 2021, respectively, tailoring its appeal to the local Latinx community with reduced barriers to accessing its services. Children between the ages of 12 and 15 were offered vaccination starting May 16, 2021, with over 22,000 doses delivered as of June 4, 2021.
Of these doses, over 70% were given to Latinx people and over 60% to those with a family income of less than $ 50,000. For the purposes of this study, all adults who presented for a test or vaccination were asked whether they had children and, if so, their age range, and whether they would allow people aged 12 to 15 to be vaccinated.
Of the nearly 2,000 parents with children under the age of 18, more than half participated in the survey, of which 76% or 788 were Latinx. Of these people, 79% reported living in San Francisco, with 28% residing near the vaccination site. Together, 9% of participants reported that one or more of their children had already contracted COVID-19.
What did the study find?
The researchers reported that participants’ motivation to vaccinate their children was very high, with around 90% of parents saying they would vaccinate their children. The highest percentage of 97% was among those with children aged 16 to 17. Of those with very young children aged 0 to 4, 90% indicated that they would like to have their children vaccinated. In addition, 91 to 93% of parents of children aged 5 to 15 have declared their intention to have their children vaccinated.
Among motivated parents, 65% of parents with children aged 12 to 15 said they would get their child vaccinated as soon as possible. In comparison, 83% of immunization-motivated parents with children aged 16 to 17 also said they would seek an approved vaccine for their child in the near future.
Interest in the vaccine among parents with children in each age group (16-17, 12-15, 5-11 and 0-4 years).
Despite the fact that parents of younger children were motivated by the vaccination, they reported lower rates of vaccination demand for their children right away. Specifically, 47% and 53% of vaccine-motivated parents with children aged 0-4 and 5-11, respectively, said they would seek the immunization immediately.
Some of the different reasons that were provided as to why these parents were motivated to immunize their children included protecting their children, reducing infections in the community, preventing adult infections in the family, and vaccine requirements. in daycares or schools.
Expected rate of vaccination in children among parents motivated by vaccination.
Why the vaccine hesitation?
Only about 8% of study participants expressed hesitation about vaccination. Parents who were not motivated to immunize their children cited fear of short- or long-term effects at 60% and 41%, respectively. Among parents hesitant about vaccination, 19% said they feared the vaccine could affect their child’s fertility, while 8% thought the vaccination was unnecessary because serious illness was unlikely in the child.
Overall, parents hesitant to get the vaccine reported lower levels of confidence in all sources of information. However, 50% of these people indicated that they trusted community groups, while 80% indicated that they trusted the advice of doctors.
In this cohort, Latinx and non-Latinx parents showed similar rates of vaccine acceptance.
What are the implications?
In this study, conducted in a community center, more than 90% of parents indicated that they would vaccinate their children. These parents were primarily motivated to vaccinate their children to prevent the spread of the virus to their children and their community.
While previous surveys have shown that between 26% and 47% of Latinx parents are reluctant to vaccinate, the results of the current study differ significantly. This is probably due to the different contexts in which the survey was conducted. This was an in-person survey that benefited from a long-term supportive relationship between the community and health care providers.
Many of the community center patients did not have a primary health care provider and did not speak English. However, the center had doctors who spoke Spanish and English and would register any patient who wanted to a health facility for future care if needed.
“Latinx and non-Latinx parents were highly motivated to vaccinate their children, generally expressing low rates of vaccine reluctance. “
Parental reassurance should address specific concerns, especially those related to fertility, as these fears are based on the forced sterilization of women in this community decades earlier. These fears also stem from more recent allegations that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) centers that detain illegal migrants are performing forced hysterectomies.
Given the rare side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, such as myocarditis in vaccinated young people, safety reports in this group are also important, but reliable and trustworthy sources should be cited. Therefore, Unidos en Salud is informed to get the latest updates on the vaccine and thus answer the questions raised by patients and among the inhabitants of the neighborhood.
The center offered assistance for optimal vaccination in children, including online registration for those who did not have computers or the knowledge to use them and for staff who spoke Spanish. Flexible time slots for vaccines, including weekends for parents away from work all week, were also available at the center.
“Low barrier vaccination site options are important additions to established health facilities, school and mobile vaccination options. “
*Important Notice
medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer reviewed and, therefore, should not be considered conclusive, guide clinical practice / health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
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