April 4-6, 2024 • Hyatt Regency • Lexington, KY
Innovations in Health Communication
Innovations in Health Communication
Abstract: Unveiling Dynamics: Perceived Risk, Pro-Vaccine Norms, and Hesitancy Among Affluent Parents Regarding COVID-19 Child Vaccines
COVID-19 Vaccine hesitancy is a complex phenomenon attributed to factors such as political ideology, vaccine safety, efficacy, risk, uncertainty, and confusion over conflicting information about the vaccine across the world (Fedele et al., 2021; He et al., 2021). While existing studies focus on the factors shaping parents’ attitude and intention to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 (e.g., Rhodes et al., 2020; Ruiz & Bell, 2022), the role of normative perceptions in the context of COVID-19 vaccination for children, especially among parents of children under 12, has received limited attention.
Accordingly, the present explores the relationship between perceived risk of COVID-19 vaccines, pro-vaccine descriptive norms, and parental vaccine hesitancy. Furthermore, we investigate the moderating role of pro-vaccine descriptive norms in the relationship between perceived vaccine risk and vaccine hesitancy, particularly among parents with relatively higher socioeconomic status—a demographic under-researched in the current literature.
Respondents (N = 113) were recruited through in-person effects at two childcare centers located in a southwestern U.S. city and from an online community of parents living in the same city on Facebook in August 2022. Notably, the sample was characterized by high education level (50% with post-graduate degree) and high-income (median family income of $100,000 or more).
As expected and consistent with the theories such as health behavior change theories (Prentice-Dunn & Rogers, 1986; Rogers, 1975; Rosenstock, 1974) and social norm theories (Cialdini & Trost, 1998; Lapinkski & Rimal, 2005), both perceived risk of the vaccines and pro-vaccine descriptive norms were associated with vaccine hesitancy. In line with previous studies, parents in this study who have higher levels of risk perceptions about the vaccines tend to have higher levels of vaccine hesitancy. This finding suggests that public health interventions should focus on providing accurate and transparent information about the vaccines, addressing misconceptions and the specific concerns that parents may have. By addressing these perceived risks and providing evidence-based information, health authorities can help alleviate vaccine hesitancy among parents.
Second, the association between perceived pro-vaccine descriptive norms and vaccine hesitancy highlights the role of normative perception in vaccine hesitancy among parents. Parents who think that fewer people around them are vaccinating their children are more likely to have vaccine hesitancy. This suggests public health interventions need to aim to promote positive social norms surrounding vaccination and create a supportive environment that encourages and normalizes vaccine uptake.
Lastly, we found a stronger effect of perceived vaccine risk on hesitancy among parents with low pro-vaccine descriptive norms compared to those with high pro-vaccine descriptive norms. In other words, for parents with high pro-vaccine descriptive norms, the effect of perceived vaccine risk on hesitancy was relatively weaker. This finding suggests that health authorities and public health campaigns can use pro-vaccine descriptive norms to influence the attitudes and behaviors of parents who perceive a high level of risk associated with COVID-19 vaccines.
Accordingly, the present explores the relationship between perceived risk of COVID-19 vaccines, pro-vaccine descriptive norms, and parental vaccine hesitancy. Furthermore, we investigate the moderating role of pro-vaccine descriptive norms in the relationship between perceived vaccine risk and vaccine hesitancy, particularly among parents with relatively higher socioeconomic status—a demographic under-researched in the current literature.
Respondents (N = 113) were recruited through in-person effects at two childcare centers located in a southwestern U.S. city and from an online community of parents living in the same city on Facebook in August 2022. Notably, the sample was characterized by high education level (50% with post-graduate degree) and high-income (median family income of $100,000 or more).
As expected and consistent with the theories such as health behavior change theories (Prentice-Dunn & Rogers, 1986; Rogers, 1975; Rosenstock, 1974) and social norm theories (Cialdini & Trost, 1998; Lapinkski & Rimal, 2005), both perceived risk of the vaccines and pro-vaccine descriptive norms were associated with vaccine hesitancy. In line with previous studies, parents in this study who have higher levels of risk perceptions about the vaccines tend to have higher levels of vaccine hesitancy. This finding suggests that public health interventions should focus on providing accurate and transparent information about the vaccines, addressing misconceptions and the specific concerns that parents may have. By addressing these perceived risks and providing evidence-based information, health authorities can help alleviate vaccine hesitancy among parents.
Second, the association between perceived pro-vaccine descriptive norms and vaccine hesitancy highlights the role of normative perception in vaccine hesitancy among parents. Parents who think that fewer people around them are vaccinating their children are more likely to have vaccine hesitancy. This suggests public health interventions need to aim to promote positive social norms surrounding vaccination and create a supportive environment that encourages and normalizes vaccine uptake.
Lastly, we found a stronger effect of perceived vaccine risk on hesitancy among parents with low pro-vaccine descriptive norms compared to those with high pro-vaccine descriptive norms. In other words, for parents with high pro-vaccine descriptive norms, the effect of perceived vaccine risk on hesitancy was relatively weaker. This finding suggests that health authorities and public health campaigns can use pro-vaccine descriptive norms to influence the attitudes and behaviors of parents who perceive a high level of risk associated with COVID-19 vaccines.