COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Parents in Shenzhen, China

Strategic Insights -

Research conducted among parents in Shenzhen, China, found that approximately 43.6% of parents reported vaccine hesitancy for their in-school children after the end of the zero-COVID-19 policy in South China. The study identified parents with anxiety, depression, and high-stress levels as more likely to report vaccine hesitancy. The research suggests that immediate mental healthcare services and tailored health education based on the '3C' model (confidence, complacency, and convenience) should be provided to parents with psychological distress.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study included 3127 parents (average age: 38.331 ± 5.757 years) in a city-wide cross-sectional survey from five districts of Shenzhen City, China.
  • The overall rate of parents' vaccine hesitancy was 43.6%, with 11.0% of children not receiving the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by April 2023.
  • Parents with anxiety (OR: 1.685, 95%CI: 1.250 ~ 2.272) and depression (OR: 1.507, 95%CI: 1.105 ~ 2.054) were more likely to report vaccine hesitancy.
  • Stress affected all '3C' dimensions (confidence: b = 0.099, complacency: b = 0.138, and convenience: b = 0.117) for parents' COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.
  • Immediate mental healthcare services and tailored health education based on the '3C' model should be provided to parents with psychological distress.

Statistics:

  • 43.6% of parents reported vaccine hesitancy for their in-school children.
  • 98.2% of children received one dose, 94.9% of children received two doses, and 11.0% of children did not receive the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by April 2023.
  • Parents with anxiety and depression were 1.685 and 1.507 times more likely to report vaccine hesitancy, respectively.

Sources:

  • Ren, F., Zhang, R., Xu, Y., Fan, J., & Lin, W. (2025). Psychological distress and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among parents of in-school children after the end of the zero-COVID-19 policy: A city-wide survey in South China. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 21(1), 2538942.
  • Taylor & Francis Inc (Publisher).