Immigrant Status and Hesitancy Toward the Use of Covid-19 Vaccines and Drug Treatments Developed for Children

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between immigrant status in the United States and hesitancy toward the new COVID-19 vaccines and drug treatments developed for children. Using data from the 2022 COVID-19 in American Communities -2 survey, the analysis shows that, while vaccine hesitancy is less of a problem for immigrants than for US natives, hesitancy toward the new drug treatments between both groups is not statistically different. Moreover, it finds contrasting relationships between immigrants’ level of exposure to society and the two outcomes of interest. On the one hand, immigrants’ willingness to have their children vaccinated for COVID-19 declines as time in the US increases. On the other hand, after accounting for other factors, no declines in hesitancy about the use of the new COVID-19 drug treatments for infected children are observed with increasing time in the US. The analysis further shows that the relationship between exposure and both measures of hesitancy is partially shaped by mistrust. Thus, it suggests that mistrust of the COVID-19 vaccines has negative spillover effects on the possible use of the new drugs used for treating the virus among children.