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Research Article: Motivations for Adolescent COVID-19 Vaccination: A Comparative Study of Adolescent and Caregiver Perspectives in Germany

Date Published: 2023-12-06

Abstract:
Given the crucial role of vaccination in halting the COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to understand the factors that motivate adolescents to get vaccinated. We surveyed adolescents and their accompanying guardians scheduled to receive a COVID-19 vaccination (Comirnaty) in an urban region in Germany in mid-2021 regarding their motivation for getting vaccinated and collected data on their sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, vaccination status, and any history of COVID-19 infection in the family. We also queried information strategies related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Motivations for getting vaccinated were similar among adolescents and their parents. The primary reasons for vaccination were protection against SARS-CoV-2-related illness and gaining access to leisure facilities. This was not influenced by gender, health status, migration background, or the presence of chronic or acute diseases. The percentage of parents who had received SARS-CoV-2 immunization and the proportion of parents with a high level of education were higher among study participants than in the general population. Adolescents were especially willing to be vaccinated if they came from a better educational environment and had a high vaccination rate in the family. Emphasizing the importance of vaccination among all segments of the population and removing barriers to vaccines may lead to an ameliorated acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines.

Introduction:
Children and adolescents represent a minority of patients with severe COVID-19 disease courses, as they are mostly asymptomatic or show minor symptoms such as fever, cough, or a sore throat. Few will suffer severe complications of the infection such as pediatric inflammatory multiorgan syndrome (PIMS), the main pediatric complication of SARS-CoV-2 infection, or post-COVID syndrome (PCS). The mortality of hospitalized pediatric patients is described as 0.1–0.18% [1,2]. The elderly and those with underlying health…

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