Factors associated with youth vaccine acceptance during the COVID-19 pandemic: Coordinated analyses across 5 Canadian datasets

Abstract

Vaccines are essential for preventing infectious diseases, yet vaccine hesitancy—particularly among youth—remains a growing concern. This study investigated factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among Canadian youth (aged 12–29 years) across three pandemic stages using data from five rapid-response surveys. Multivariable logistic regression analyses identified sociodemographic, pandemic-related impacts, and mental health factors associated with vaccine acceptance. Results showed increasing vaccine acceptance over time across samples (i.e., Stage 1: 52.3 %–65.4 %; Stage 2: 73.8 %–83.2 %; and, Stage 3: 85.3 %–96.0 %). Although findings varied across samples, overall, parental education (significant adjusted odds ratios [aOR] range across samples and Stages = 0.16 to 2.07), living area (i.e., rural/urban; aORs range = 2.07 to 2.18), and COVID-19 stress (aOR range = 1.06 to 2.34) emerged as consistent factors across time. Other factors, such as being older (Stage 1 aOR = 1.15 to 3.21; Stage 3 aOR = 0.58), White (Stage 1 aOR = 1.55 to 1.69; Stage 2 aOR = 1.48), female (Stage 1 a OR = 0.60 to 0.72) or having a family member diagnosed with COVID-19 (Stage 1 aOR = 1.89; Stage 2 aOR = 0.55; Stage 3 aOR = 0.52) appeared as potential context-specific factors related to vaccine acceptance. Mental health had limited influence. These findings underscore the need for targeted vaccination campaigns addressing stable and dynamic sociodemographic and stress-related factors among youth.