Background/objectives: In Vietnam, COVID-19 vaccination campaigns for children have encountered numerous challenges due to acceptance issues among parents. This study aimed to assess parental decision-making and identify factors influencing their decision to vaccinate their children against COVID-19.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional online survey conducted between April and May 2023 among parents of children aged 6-17 years enrolled in urban and rural schools in Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam. Data on parental and child demographics, vaccination decision-making, COVID-19 experiences, and health beliefs based on the Health Belief Model were collected and analyzed, using univariate and multivariable multinomial regression analyses.
Results: Among 4235 respondents (median age 41 years, 80.4% female), 81.3% had accepted all vaccine doses for their children, 9.7% had accepted some doses, 4.6% had rejected all doses, and 4.5% had not vaccinated their children for reasons unrelated to vaccine acceptance. Factors influencing parental decision-making included parental age, educational status, area of residence, health beliefs, prior experience with COVID-19 vaccination, and their child's age and health status.
Conclusions: We found overall high levels of parental acceptance for COVID-19 vaccination for children in Thai Nguyen province. To enhance COVID-19 vaccination acceptance, targeted communication strategies should focus on younger parents, those living in urban areas, parents with higher educational levels, and those with children who are younger or have underlying medical conditions. Trusted sources such as healthcare workers, teachers, and official health websites are essential for disseminating accurate information and fostering trust in vaccination programs.
Keywords: COVID-19 vaccination; child health; health belief model; parents; vaccine acceptance; vaccine hesitancy.