Healthcare professionals' acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination for their children: A cross-sectional study at a tertiary care hospital in Western India

Background and AimsEstablishing a transparent and forthright dialog between healthcare professionals (HCPs) and the public is paramount in promoting the effective acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination for children. Hence, this study aimed to assess the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance, knowledge, and perception among HCPs for their children.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among HCPs at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Western India. A structured questionnaire was designed and validated to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis.ResultsThe study found that more than 80% of HCPs had good knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines, and 92.74% of them were willing to accept the vaccine for their children. Doctors were more likely to vaccinate their children, and 73% of HCPs had a favorable attitude toward immunizing their children if a new COVID-19 vaccine was available. Academic/peer-reviewed publications were considered the most reliable source of information for COVID-19 vaccination, followed by government sources.ConclusionThis study found that parental vaccine hesitancy was significantly lower among the HCP group. The majority of HCPs were in favor of vaccinating their children against COVID-19, indicating that they can serve as an effective channel for promoting parental acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines in the community. More than 80% of healthcare professionals (HCPs) had good knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines, and 92.74% of them were willing to accept the vaccine for their children.Doctors were more likely to vaccinate their children, and 73% of HCPs had a favorable attitude toward immunizing their children if a new COVID-19 vaccine was available.The majority of HCPs considered academic/peer-reviewed publications as the most reliable source of information for COVID-19 vaccination, followed by government sources.The study found that parental vaccine hesitancy was significantly lower among the HCP group, indicating that they can serve as an effective channel for promoting parental acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines in the community.