Caregivers' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) toward pediatric COVID-19 vaccination and pandemic amid emerging new variants in a low socioeconomic community hospital in New York.

Abstract

Prevalence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination rates among the pediatric population is currently suboptimal. Past research has been done to understand vaccine hesitancy; however, our research tries to expand more on the perception of caregivers and explores vaccination trends based on their knowledge as the pediatric population depends on its caregivers for their medical decisions. Our study assessed the KPA of caregivers toward the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination and compared these factors between healthcare professionals (HCPs) and nonhealthcare professionals (NHCPs). This descriptive, cross-sectional survey involved English-proficient caregivers of children aged 0-17 years, seeking routine checkups or hospital admissions. A novel 4-part survey was developed from previous studies wherein KPA was scored as 2 points for each correct Knowledge question (n = 12). A score of ≥12 was considered adequate (K). Perception and Attitude were assessed using a 10-point Likert scale. Demographics, KPA, and vaccination likelihoods were collected and statistically analyzed using frequencies, mean with standard deviation, and Mann-Whitney U tests to check for significance. In our study, 63% of caregivers were African American, and most had good knowledge of COVID-19, yet only 55% recognized full vaccination as a key preventive measure. Despite using the CDC as their main information source, caregivers doubted its veracity showing low to moderate trust levels and expressed concerns about vaccine safety, with 36.1% viewing vaccines as a potential cause of their child's illness. The unvaccinated rate among children in our study was higher than the national average. HCP demonstrated significantly higher knowledge and trust in CDC information compared to NHCP, although vaccination rates among their children did not differ significantly. This study shows the complex nature of vaccine decision-making, where knowledge alone may not be sufficient to change behavior. It further highlights the need for targeted education and outreach efforts to address vaccine hesitancy.