Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1757-1762 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | European journal of pediatrics |
| Volume | 181 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Early online date | 22 Dec 2021 |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2022 |
Abstract
Widespread vaccination in pursuit of herd immunity has been recognized as the most promising approach to ending the global pandemic of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). The vaccination of children and adolescents has been extensively debated and the first COVID-19 vaccine is now approved in European countries for children aged > 12 years of age. Our study investigates vaccination hesitancy in a cohort of German secondary school students. We assessed 903 students between age 9 and 20 in the period between 17 May 2021 and 30 June 2021. 68.3% (n = 617) reported intention to undergo COVID-19 vaccination, while 7% (n = 62) did not want to receive the vaccine and 15% (n = 135) were not yet certain. Age and parental level of education influenced COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Children under the age of 16 as well as students whose parents had lower education levels showed significantly higher vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion: Identifying subsets with higher vaccination hesitancy is important for targeting public information campaigns in support of immunization.What is Known:• The willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination among adults in Europe is about 70%, but data for children and adolescents is lacking.• The lack of immunization in younger cohorts represents a significant barrier to achieving herd immunity, and also leaves children and adolescents vulnerable to acute and long-term morbidity from natural COVID-19 infections.What is New:• Intention-to-vaccinate among children and adolescents is high (~ 70%); conversely, vaccination hesitancy is low.• Age and parental level of education influenced COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among children and adolescents.
Keywords
- Adolescents, Children, COVID-19, Vaccination, Vaccine hesitancy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: European journal of pediatrics, Vol. 181, No. 4, 04.2022, p. 1757-1762.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Students’ age and parental level of education influence COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy
AU - Zychlinsky Scharff, Anna
AU - Paulsen, Mira
AU - Schaefer, Paula
AU - Tanisik, Fatma
AU - Sugianto, Rizky Indrameikha
AU - Stanislawski, Nils
AU - Blume, Holger
AU - Schmidt, Bernhard M.W.
AU - Heiden, Stefanie
AU - Stiesch, Meike
AU - Melk, Anette
N1 - Funding Information: Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. The study, as part of the larger TRAC-19 study, is funded by the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony, Germany, reference number 14-76103-184. The Ministry of Science and Culture had no role in the design and conduct of the study; data collection, management, analysis or interpretation; or writing of the report.
PY - 2022/4
Y1 - 2022/4
N2 - Widespread vaccination in pursuit of herd immunity has been recognized as the most promising approach to ending the global pandemic of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). The vaccination of children and adolescents has been extensively debated and the first COVID-19 vaccine is now approved in European countries for children aged > 12 years of age. Our study investigates vaccination hesitancy in a cohort of German secondary school students. We assessed 903 students between age 9 and 20 in the period between 17 May 2021 and 30 June 2021. 68.3% (n = 617) reported intention to undergo COVID-19 vaccination, while 7% (n = 62) did not want to receive the vaccine and 15% (n = 135) were not yet certain. Age and parental level of education influenced COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Children under the age of 16 as well as students whose parents had lower education levels showed significantly higher vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion: Identifying subsets with higher vaccination hesitancy is important for targeting public information campaigns in support of immunization.What is Known:• The willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination among adults in Europe is about 70%, but data for children and adolescents is lacking.• The lack of immunization in younger cohorts represents a significant barrier to achieving herd immunity, and also leaves children and adolescents vulnerable to acute and long-term morbidity from natural COVID-19 infections.What is New:• Intention-to-vaccinate among children and adolescents is high (~ 70%); conversely, vaccination hesitancy is low.• Age and parental level of education influenced COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among children and adolescents.
AB - Widespread vaccination in pursuit of herd immunity has been recognized as the most promising approach to ending the global pandemic of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). The vaccination of children and adolescents has been extensively debated and the first COVID-19 vaccine is now approved in European countries for children aged > 12 years of age. Our study investigates vaccination hesitancy in a cohort of German secondary school students. We assessed 903 students between age 9 and 20 in the period between 17 May 2021 and 30 June 2021. 68.3% (n = 617) reported intention to undergo COVID-19 vaccination, while 7% (n = 62) did not want to receive the vaccine and 15% (n = 135) were not yet certain. Age and parental level of education influenced COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Children under the age of 16 as well as students whose parents had lower education levels showed significantly higher vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion: Identifying subsets with higher vaccination hesitancy is important for targeting public information campaigns in support of immunization.What is Known:• The willingness to receive COVID-19 vaccination among adults in Europe is about 70%, but data for children and adolescents is lacking.• The lack of immunization in younger cohorts represents a significant barrier to achieving herd immunity, and also leaves children and adolescents vulnerable to acute and long-term morbidity from natural COVID-19 infections.What is New:• Intention-to-vaccinate among children and adolescents is high (~ 70%); conversely, vaccination hesitancy is low.• Age and parental level of education influenced COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among children and adolescents.
KW - Adolescents
KW - Children
KW - COVID-19
KW - Vaccination
KW - Vaccine hesitancy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85121514880&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00431-021-04343-1
DO - 10.1007/s00431-021-04343-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85121514880
VL - 181
SP - 1757
EP - 1762
JO - European journal of pediatrics
JF - European journal of pediatrics
SN - 0340-6199
IS - 4
ER -