The knowledge level and attitude of the parents about COVID-19 vaccination in children: a single-center survey study

Abstract

Aim: The primary method of prevention for children involves vaccination. The generally accepted approach in the world is the vaccination of eligible children for COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019). In the field of COVID-19 vaccines, hesitation and vaccine denial are anticipated concurrently with the rise in the incidence of vaccine instability and rejection around the world. The aim of this study is to find out what parents think about the COVID-19 vaccination program for children and what factors may cause anti-vaccination. Material and Method: 208 parents with children aged 0-18 who applied to the University of Health and Sciences, Ankara Keçiören Training and Research Hospital’s pediatrics clinics between April-June 2021 were included in the study. A questionnaire consisting of 26 questions developed by public health experts for COVID-19, the COVID-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S), and the Short Form of COVID-19 Anxiety Scale were administered to the participants. Results: 58.2% of participants believed that vaccines could only partially protect against the virus, while 19.2% disagreed and 22.6% were unsure of their position on this. While 67.3% of individuals said they would be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, 36.1% said they would be willing to immunize their children (p< 0.001). Participants who refused to receive their own vaccinations did not consider vaccinating their children (p<0.001). With a rate of 76.5%, parents cited the possibility of vaccine side effects as their main objection to immunizing their children. Parents who have never been vaccinated or under-vaccinated their children according to the national vaccination program, did not intend to vaccinate their children with the COVID-19 vaccine at a higher rate. Parents who did not intend to vaccinate their children with the COVID-19 vaccine had significantly lower overall scores on the COVID-19 Phobia Scale, psychological sub-dimension, somatic sub-dimension, and social sub-dimension than parents who did (p<0.05). Conclusion: The majority of parents were hesitant to vaccinate their children. The vaccine side effects were the main objection to immunizing children. Therefore understanding the attitudes and perspectives of parents toward COVID-19 vaccines may shed light on the pediatric COVID-19 vaccination programs that will be implemented in the future.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• vaccination
• children
• parents
• survey

Ebeveynlerin çocuklarda COVID-19 aşısı konusundaki bilgi düzeyi ve tutumu: tek merkezli bir anket çalışması

Abstract

Amaç: Çocuklar için birincil korunma yöntemi aşılamadır. Dünyada genel kabul görmüş yaklaşım uygun görülen çocukların Koronavirüs Hastalığı 2019 (COVID-19) için aşılanması yönündedir. Tüm dünyadaki aşı kararsızlığı ve reddi insidansındaki artışla paralel olarak COVID-19 aşıları için de tereddüt ve aşı reddi beklenmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, ebeveynlerin çocuklara yönelik COVID-19 aşı programı hakkındaki düşüncelerini ve aşı karşıtlığına hangi faktörlerin neden olabileceğini ortaya çıkarmaktır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi, Ankara Keçiören Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi çocuk hastalıkları kliniklerine Nisan-Haziran 2021 tarihleri ​​arasında başvuran, 0-18 yaş arası çocuğu olan 208 ebeveyn araştırmaya dahil edildi. Katılımcılara (COVID-19) için halk sağlığı uzmanları tarafından geliştirilen 26 sorudan oluşan anket, COVID-19 Fobi Ölçeği (C19P-S) ve COVID-19 Kısa Form Anksiyete Ölçeği uygulandı. Bulgular: Katılımcıların %58,2’si aşıların virüse karşı yalnızca kısmen koruyabileceğine inanırken, %19,2’si aynı fikirde değildi ve %22,6’sı bu konudaki tutumlarından emin değildi. Bireylerin %67,3’ü COVID-19 aşısını yaptırmaya istekli olacağını belirtirken, %36,1’sı çocuklarını aşılamaya istekli olacağını belirtti (p<0,001). Kendi aşılarını yaptırmayı reddeden katılımcılar çocuklarına aşı yaptırmayı düşünmüyordular (p<0,001). Ebeveynler, %76,5’ lik bir oranla, çocuklarına aşı yaptırma konusundaki temel itirazları olarak aşı yan etkileri olasılığını belirttiler. Ulusal aşı programına göre çocuklarına hiç aşı yaptırmamış veya eksik aşı yaptırmamış olan ebeveynler, çocuklarına daha yüksek oranda COVID-19 aşısı yaptırmayı düşünmemişlerdi. Çocuklarına COVID-19 aşısı yaptırmayı düşünmeyen anne babaların COVID-19 Fobi Ölçeği, psikolojik alt boyut, somatik alt boyut ve sosyal alt boyut toplam puanları, yaptıran ebeveynlere göre anlamlı olarak daha düşüktü (p<0.05). Sonuç: Ebeveynlerin çoğunluğu çocuklarına aşı yaptırmakta tereddüt etmektedir ve bunun en sık sebebi aşının yan etkileri olabileceği düşüncesidir. Bu nedenle ebeveynlerin COVID-19 aşılarına yönelik tutum ve bakış açılarının anlaşılması, gelecekte uygulanacak pediatrik COVID-19 aşılama programlarına ışık tutabilir.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• aşılama
• çocuklar
• ebeveynler
• anket

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