Parents’ Intentions and Associated Factors to Vaccinating Their Children Aged 12–17 Years with COVID-19 Vaccines: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

No available vaccine against COVID-19 had yet been proven for 12–17-year-olds in Egypt during the study period. This is the first study to assess Egyptian parents’ intentions and associated factors in relation to vaccinating their children with COVID-19 vaccines. A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire was conducted between 17 October and 17 November 2021, via social media platforms. The target group was parents with children aged 12–17 years. Parents’ intention to vaccinate their children and factors associated with vaccinating their children, reasons for not intending to vaccinate their children, and circumstances whereby the parents would change their mind were recorded. Among the 1458 parents recruited, 65.6% were planning to vaccinate their children. The main concerns were fear of the vaccine’s side-effects (68.3%) and conspiracy theories (18%). The factors associated with parents’ intention to vaccinate their children were mother’s older age (40–49 years: aOR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.05–1.99; ≥50 years: aOR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.16–3.75), high family income (aOR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.41–2.79), and children with a history of chronic conditions (aOR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.25–3.25), while higher mother’s education level was negatively associated (aOR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.27, 0.64). A comprehensive health education program regarding vaccinating children with COVID-19 vaccines is highly recommended for parents, particularly for young and highly educated mothers, to enhance children vaccination rate when the vaccine becomes available.