10. COVID-19 Impact on Parent/Young Adult Attitudes and Beliefs Toward Vaccines for Adolescents and Young Adults

Abstract

The study (1) assesses the impact of COVID-19 on attitudes of parents and adolescents/young adults (AYAs) toward vaccines for AYAs and (2) captures perspectives through the phases of public health interventions, social behaviors, economic impact, and potential treatments and COVID-19 vaccines. A multi-wave, on-line survey of two U.S. representative groups: (1) parents of AYAs ages 13-18 (n=500) and (2) AYAs ages 13-18 (n=300). Survey Wave 1 was fielded Aug 11-28, 2020. Two additional survey waves are planned during the 2020/21 flu season (Wave 2) and when COVID-19 vaccines are licensed (Wave 3). The survey replicates questions on vaccine and preventive health attitudes previously measured in Unity research conducted in 2016, generating pre-pandemic comparisons. Survey Wave 1 survey results indicate that confusion and fear around COVID-19 is impacting adolescent health beyond the risks associated with the pandemic. About half of parents report cancelled or postponed well visits due to the pandemic, translating to missing critical preventative health measures including vaccines and mental health check-ins. The data confirms that stress and anxiety are prominent in the teen pandemic experience as reported by teens and perceived by their parents. Influenza and a potential Covid-19 vaccine rate lower in importance compared to other routinely recommended adolescent vaccines. As other recent national polls of adults have reported, Wave 1 results confirm high proportions of parents of teens expect to "wait and see" about a new COVID-19 vaccine, and will actively seek assurance on vaccine safety and efficacy. Providers will be the primary, trusted source of COVID-19 vaccine information for parents while teens continue to rely on their parents for healthcare guidance and decisions. A significant proportion of teens are taking the pandemic seriously and perhaps even more so than their parents. Analyses of key responses by panel characteristics (e.g., personal experience with COVID-19, stress level, personal and household characteristics, etc.) and comparisons to Unity's pre-pandemic survey responses will be shared. This Unity survey series uniquely assesses the impact of COVID-19 on AYA preventive health and immunization. Wave 1 results reveal implications for increased and sustained urgency to catch-up and prioritize AYA missed and ongoing well-visits throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The confusion and fear around COVID-19 is impacting adolescent health beyond the risks associated with the pandemic, highlighting the need for critical preventative health measures including vaccines and mental health check-ins. Uncertainty around the safety and efficacy of potential COVID-19 vaccines may hinder parents from vaccinating their AYAs, especially for those who believe AYA risk of severe illness is low. Vaccine stakeholders will need to unify and engage to build parent and AYA confidence to get both routine vaccines and future COVID-19 vaccine(s). This includes equipping HCPs to confidently, concisely and consistently recommend routine vaccines and addressing concerns around COVID-19 vaccine testing, safety and efficacy standards. Additional research implications include engaging AYAs to take ownership in routine vaccination and COVID-19 prevention, to positively influence their families and peers, and to create educational content for their peers.