Vaccine hesitancy among racially diverse parents in Canada: The important role of health literacy, conspiracy beliefs and racial discrimination

IF 4.5 3区 医学 Q2 IMMUNOLOGY
Jude Mary Cénat , Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Moshirian Farahi , Rose Darly Dalexis , Yan Xu , Idrissa Beogo
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Parental vaccine hesitancy is a global public health issue that leads to lower immunization coverage among children. While vaccine mistrust is increased among racialized adults, whether parental vaccine hesitancy differs by ethnicity in the era of COVID-19 is unknown. Addressing these gaps in the literature, this study explores the factors influencing vaccine hesitancy among a racially diverse and representative sample of Canadian parents of children aged 0 to 12, comparing perspectives across different racial groups. An online survey was administered to a nationally representative sample of Arab, Asian, Black, Indigenous, White, and Mixed-race parents from October to November 2023. Data were collected on demographics, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, experience of major racial discrimination, conspiracy beliefs and health literacy. A total of 2528 parents (57.52 % women, 42.29 % men, and 0.20 % identified as non-binary gender) completed the survey. Significant mean differences in vaccine hesitancy were observed among racialized groups, F(7, 2520) = 3.89, p < .001, with Arab parents (M = 23.73, SD = 7.46) reporting higher hesitancy than White parents (M = 21.28, SD = 8.59). Younger participants (14–24 years) showed greater hesitancy (M = 23.98, SD = 8.22) than those aged 55+ (M = 20.26, SD = 7.83), F(4, 2523) = 2.84, p = .023. Regression analyses indicated that conspiracy beliefs (β = 0.48, p < .001) and racial discrimination (β = 0.09, p = .012) are key predictors of vaccine hesitancy. A significant interaction between conspiracy beliefs and discrimination was found among racialized groups (β = 0.24, p < .001). Based on these results, addressing vaccine hesitancy requires nuanced, participatory approaches that foster trust, counter misinformation, and acknowledge systemic racial inequities. As, health literacy, conspiracy beliefs, and racial discrimination significantly shape parental decisions, future policies must integrate culturally and racially tailored strategies to promote vaccination, ensuring that every child in Canada is protected.
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来源期刊
Vaccine
Vaccine 医学-免疫学
CiteScore
8.70
自引率
5.50%
发文量
992
审稿时长
131 days
期刊介绍: Vaccine is unique in publishing the highest quality science across all disciplines relevant to the field of vaccinology - all original article submissions across basic and clinical research, vaccine manufacturing, history, public policy, behavioral science and ethics, social sciences, safety, and many other related areas are welcomed. The submission categories as given in the Guide for Authors indicate where we receive the most papers. Papers outside these major areas are also welcome and authors are encouraged to contact us with specific questions.
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