Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Campaign: Risk Perception, Emotional States, and Vaccine Hesitancy in a Sample of Adolescents' Vaccinated Parents in Southern Italy

Overview

Journal Vaccines (Basel)

Date 2022 Jun 24

PMID 35746568

Authors

Giulia Savarese

Luna Carpinelli

Anna De Chiara

Claudio Giordano

Matilde Perillo

Domenico Fornino

Francesco De Caro

Mario Capunzo

Giuseppina Moccia

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The international strategic plan for COVID-19 vaccines remains the practical option for the protection of health. However, vaccine hesitancy remains an obstacle to full population vaccination, with rapid developments in COVID-19 vaccines and concerns about efficacy acting as influencing factors.

Aim: The present study investigated the perception of vaccine hesitancy among parents of adolescents in order to explore the reasons and related emotional states.

Methods: In January-March 2022, an online questionnaire was administered to a sample of parents who brought their children to the vaccine center of a local health unit, ASL Salerno (Campania, Italy).

Results: The participants were 1105 parents (F = 64.6%; mean age = 47.37 years, SD = 7.52) of adolescents (F = 47.6%; mean age = 14.83 years, SD = 1.72). All parents had received the COVID-19 vaccine. Regarding the vaccination schedule, 46.8% believed that children receive more vaccinations than they should; 25.1% believed that it is better to develop immunity rather than get vaccinated; 41.2% believed that their child could have side effects; 29.6% were very concerned that vaccines were unsafe, while 35.3% believed vaccines do not prevent disease; 21.5% were very reluctant about pediatric vaccines; and 23.8% did not trust the information received.

Conclusions: In order to increase vaccination and reduce the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy, it is essential to support the value of vaccination among all parents and make information more accessible and usable through competent pediatricians.

Citing Articles

An Exploratory Investigation of Representations of Herpes Zoster and Adjuvanted Recombinant Herpes Zoster Vaccination in a Sample of Fragile Adults in Italy.

De Caro F, Pecoraro N, Capunzo M, Caruccio S, Caggiano F, Cersosimo G Pathogens. 2025; 14(2).

PMID: 40005521 PMC: 11858372. DOI: 10.3390/pathogens14020145.

Prevalence of caregiver hesitancy for vaccinations in children and its associated factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Maamor N, Muhamad N, Mohd Dali N, Leman F, Rosli I, Tengku Bahrudin Shah T PLoS One. 2024; 19(10):e0302379.

PMID: 39446774 PMC: 11500859. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302379.

Fear of the COVID-19 vaccine in a public healthcare system and university setting.

Botelho R, Coelho C, Andrade E, Castelo P, Pardi V, Murata R PLoS One. 2024; 19(6):e0304000.

PMID: 38917110 PMC: 11198793. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304000.

Anti-Herpes Zoster Vaccination of Fragile Patients in Hospital Setting: A Nudge Intervention in Italy.

De Caro F, Malatesta F, Pecoraro N, Capunzo M, Carpinelli L, Caruccio S Vaccines (Basel). 2024; 12(4).

PMID: 38675824 PMC: 11054726. DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12040442.

Learning from the Past to Improve the Future-Vaccine Hesitancy Determinants in the Italian Population: A Systematic Review.

Ferrara M, Bertozzi G, Volonnino G, Di Fazio A, Di Fazio N, Arcangeli M Vaccines (Basel). 2023; 11(3).

PMID: 36992216 PMC: 10058125. DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030630.

References

Seale H, Heywood A, Leask J, Sheel M, Thomas S, Durrheim D . COVID-19 is rapidly changing: Examining public perceptions and behaviors in response to this evolving pandemic. PLoS One. 2020; 15(6):e0235112. PMC: 7310732. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235112. View

Moccia G, Carpinelli L, Savarese G, De Caro F . Vaccine Hesitancy and the Green Digital Pass: A Study on Adherence to the Italian COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(5). PMC: 8910368. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19052970. View

Bianco A, Della Polla G, Angelillo S, Pelullo C, Licata F, Angelillo I . Parental COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy: a cross-sectional survey in Italy. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2021; 21(4):541-547. DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2022.2023013. View

MacDonald N . Vaccine hesitancy: Definition, scope and determinants. Vaccine. 2015; 33(34):4161-4. DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2015.04.036. View

Montalti M, Rallo F, Guaraldi F, Bartoli L, Po G, Stillo M . Would Parents Get Their Children Vaccinated Against SARS-CoV-2? Rate and Predictors of Vaccine Hesitancy According to a Survey over 5000 Families from Bologna, Italy. Vaccines (Basel). 2021; 9(4). PMC: 8069076. DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9040366. View

Opel D, Mangione-Smith R, Taylor J, Korfiatis C, Wiese C, Catz S . Development of a survey to identify vaccine-hesitant parents: the parent attitudes about childhood vaccines survey. Hum Vaccin. 2011; 7(4):419-25. PMC: 3360071. DOI: 10.4161/hv.7.4.14120. View

Gabarda A, Butterworth S . Using Best Practices to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: The Case for the Motivational Interviewing Approach. Health Promot Pract. 2021; 22(5):611-615. DOI: 10.1177/15248399211016463. View

Walker K, Head K, Owens H, Zimet G . A qualitative study exploring the relationship between mothers' vaccine hesitancy and health beliefs with COVID-19 vaccination intention and prevention during the early pandemic months. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2021; 17(10):3355-3364. PMC: 8437482. DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2021.1942713. View

Dror A, Eisenbach N, Taiber S, Morozov N, Mizrachi M, Zigron A . Vaccine hesitancy: the next challenge in the fight against COVID-19. Eur J Epidemiol. 2020; 35(8):775-779. PMC: 8851308. DOI: 10.1007/s10654-020-00671-y. View

10.

Miraglia Del Giudice G, Napoli A, Corea F, Folcarelli L, Angelillo I . Evaluating COVID-19 Vaccine Willingness and Hesitancy among Parents of Children Aged 5-11 Years with Chronic Conditions in Italy. Vaccines (Basel). 2022; 10(3). PMC: 8953590. DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10030396. View

11.

Cordina M, Lauri M, Lauri J . Attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination, vaccine hesitancy and intention to take the vaccine. Pharm Pract (Granada). 2021; 19(1):2317. PMC: 8005329. DOI: 10.18549/PharmPract.2021.1.2317. View

12.

Park S, Massey P, Stimpson J . Primary Source of Information About COVID-19 as a Determinant of Perception of COVID-19 Severity and Vaccine Uptake : Source of Information and COVID-19. J Gen Intern Med. 2021; 36(10):3088-3095. PMC: 8354304. DOI: 10.1007/s11606-021-07080-1. View

13.

DI Pietro M, Poscia A, Teleman A, Maged D, Ricciardi W . Vaccine hesitancy: parental, professional and public responsibility. Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2017; 53(2):157-162. DOI: 10.4415/ANN_17_02_13. View

14.

Sallam M . COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Worldwide: A Concise Systematic Review of Vaccine Acceptance Rates. Vaccines (Basel). 2021; 9(2). PMC: 7920465. DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9020160. View

15.

Galle F, Sabella E, Roma P, Ferracuti S, Da Molin G, Diella G . Knowledge and Lifestyle Behaviors Related to COVID-19 Pandemic in People over 65 Years Old from Southern Italy. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021; 18(20). PMC: 8535846. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182010872. View

16.

Glover R, Urquhart R, Lukawska J, Blumenthal K . Vaccinating against covid-19 in people who report allergies. BMJ. 2021; 372:n120. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.n120. View

17.

Larson H, Jarrett C, Eckersberger E, Smith D, Paterson P . Understanding vaccine hesitancy around vaccines and vaccination from a global perspective: a systematic review of published literature, 2007-2012. Vaccine. 2014; 32(19):2150-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.01.081. View

18.

Bagateli L, Saeki E, Fadda M, Agostoni C, Marchisio P, Milani G . COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Parents of Children and Adolescents Living in Brazil. Vaccines (Basel). 2021; 9(10). PMC: 8540804. DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9101115. View

19.

Moccia G, Carpinelli L, Savarese G, Borrelli A, Boccia G, Motta O . Perception of Health, Mistrust, Anxiety, and Indecision in a Group of Italians Vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccines (Basel). 2021; 9(6). PMC: 8228609. DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9060612. View

20.

Carpinelli L, De Caro F, Savarese G, Capunzo M, Mollo M, Moccia G . Emotions and Motivations Underlying Adherence to the Anti-COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign: A Survey on a Sample of Italians under 30 Years. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(1). PMC: 8750982. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010077. View