2020年3月世界保健機関がCOVID-19のパンデミック（世界的大流行）を宣言してから3年が経過したが、ワクチン接種はその打開策の1つとして期待されている。集団免疫の獲得には接種率向上が重要だが、小児の接種率は成人と比べて低く、さらに児の年齢が低くなるに従い接種率が下がる傾向にあることが報告されている。
2022年12月19日から2023年1月4日に日本在住で５歳未満の子を持つ保護者を対象にインターネット調査を実施した。調査では自身の子に対するCOVID-19予防接種の接種状況や意図とその理由、意図に関連する心理的要因、回答者と回答者の子の属性、社会経済状況等についてたずねた。
12,502名の有効回答を得た。回答時点で子にCOVID-19予防接種の接種または予約を済ませた人は1519人で全体の12.2%であった。子が未接種であった人に接種の意図をたずねると、「受けさせたい」245人(2.0%)、「どちらかというと受けさせたい」730人(5.8%)「どちらともいえない」1883人(15.1%)「どちらかというと受けさせたくない」3462人(27.7%)「受けさせたくない」4663(37.3%)であった。「受けさせたい・どちらかというと受けさせたい」と答えた理由は「自分の子どもが感染することが心配だから」「家族や周りの人に感染させたくないから」「副反応のリスクより、感染した時に重症化することの方が心配だから」の順に多かった。「受けさせたくない・どちらかというと受けさせたくない」理由は「副反応が心配だから」「ワクチンの成分を信用できないから」「感染を予防する効果があまりないと思うから」の順に多かった。関連要因は現在分析を行っているところである。
５歳未満の子を持つ保護者の80％が自身の子へのCOVID-19予防接種を躊躇もしくは拒否していることがわかった。今後の政策を考えていく上では躊躇もしくは拒否している群の特徴を明らかにし、その特徴に合わせた対策を検討していく必要がある。
Three years have passed since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic of COVID-19 in March 2020, and vaccination is expected to be one of the measures to overcome the pandemic. Although it is vital to improve the vaccination rate to acquire mass immunity, it has been reported that the vaccination rate of children is lower than that of adults. Furthermore, the rate tends to decline as the age of children decreases.
An online survey was conducted from December 19, 2022, to January 4, 2023, among parents living in Japan with children under 5 years old. The survey asked about the status of COVID-19 immunization of their children, their intentions and reasons, psychological factors related to their intentions, demographics of the respondents and their children, and socioeconomic status.
A total of 12,502 responses were obtained. At the time of the survey, 1,519 respondents' child (12.2% of the total) had already vaccinated or made an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. When those whose child had not been vaccinated were asked about their intention to have their child vaccinated, 245 (2.0%) said they wanted their children to be vaccinated, 730 (5.8%) said they were "somewhat willing," 1883 (15.1%) were "undecided," 3462 (27.7%) were "somewhat unwilling," and 4663 (37.6%) were "unwilling".
The most common reasons given for want them to receive the vaccine were: "I am worried about my child getting infected," "I don't want my family or others around me to get infected," and "I am more worried about getting seriously ill if infected than about the risk of adverse reactions. The most common reasons for not wanting their children to receive the vaccine were "I am worried about side reactions," "I don't trust the ingredients in the vaccine," and "I don't think the vaccine is very effective in preventing infection," in that order. Related factors are currently being analyzed.
We found that 80% of parents with children under 5 years of age hesitated or refused COVID-19 immunization for their children. In considering future policies, it is necessary to clarify the characteristics of the group that hesitates or refuses and to consider countermeasures tailored to these characteristics.
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