Survey: Detroit parents are half as likely to get COVID-19 vaccine – MLive.com

October 23, 2021

New research from the University of Michigan suggests Detroiters in households with kids are about half as likely to get vaccinated against COVID-19 than those without children in their homes.

Detroit adults with children in their households are also substantially less likely to trust information about the coronavirus, the safety of vaccines and the healthcare system in general, the UM study indicates. Vaccine hesitancy in parents has significant implications for their children; the survey found adults who are vaccinated were 11 times more likely to vaccinate their children.

The findings come from a June survey of nearly 1,900 residents by U-Ms Detroit Metro Area Communities Study. The survey included parents as well as other adults who live in the same house as children, including grandparents, step-parents and guardians.

Lydia Wileden, a graduate research fellow with DMACS, said the survey results come with a few caveats. The data is several months old and was collected amid the first major vaccination campaign, so attitudes may have changed. DMACS plans to launch a follow-up survey in November to track whether people became more open to vaccination after learning more about the low risk of side effects.

As we look to collect data on this, were going to be looking more at those people who are slower on the uptake of vaccines, but not necessarily against vaccines overall, Wileden said. Theres a proportion of Detroiters of color who take more of that skeptical perspective. They were sort of waiting to see as opposed to being against vaccinating.

Seven out of 10 adults who dont live with children said they are vaccinated, while 38% of adults living with children had the shot. Adults with kids were twice as likely to say they would not get vaccinated.

Wileden said its not clear why people living with children are more skeptical about the COVID-19 vaccine. One possible reason: Parents tend to be younger than people who dont live with children, and vaccine hesitancy is more prevalent among younger people in general.

Forty-five percent of Detroit adults who are vaccinated said their children are also vaccinated, compared to only 4% of unvaccinated people.

Only 12% of vaccinated parents are uncomfortable with vaccinating their children, compared to 63% of unvaccinated parents.

People with kids under the age of 12 had more doubts about the vaccine compared to people with older children. The survey found 59% of adults with children under 12 were uncomfortable with their child being vaccinated, compared to 42% of adults with kids between 12 and 17.

The federal government authorized Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for emergency use in children between 12 and 17 years old. Its the same vaccine thats available to adults, and clinical trials found they carry a low risk of side effects.

COVID-19 vaccines are not available for people younger than 12, but this is likely to change within a few weeks. The White House announced it will roll out vaccines for children between 5 and 11 as soon as they are authorized by the FDA and CDC.

Related: Look up 2020 non-COVID vaccination rates for Michigan schools, day care centers

People living with children reported feeling less safe engaging in activities outside the home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wilden said this suggests some Detroiters who are distrustful about the vaccine still take the pandemic seriously.

A large chunk of survey respondents, 31%, said they are undecided or likely to get the vaccine. Researchers noted this group could be receptive to vaccination initiatives.

However, adults with kids are half as likely to trust in the validity of the news they get from media sources, and they are also substantially less likely to trust information from their doctors, the CDC and politicians.

The study found Gov. Gretchen Whitmers administration was a more trustworthy source of COVID-19 information than Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, President Joe Biden, news sources, or faith leaders. The CDC and personal doctors were the most trusted source of information.

The most commonly cited reasons for not getting vaccinated included concerns about side effects, the safety of the vaccine and the effectiveness of the vaccine. Roughly three-quarters of unvaccinated adults living with children cited those contributing reasons.

They also reported feeling more social pressure around vaccines compared to people without children; half of the adults living with kids said they feel pressure to get vaccinated and 34% felt pressure to not get vaccinated.

Data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services shows a large gap in Detroits vaccination rates compared to the rest of the state.

State data shows 63% of eligible Michigan residents have received one dose, and 59% have been fully vaccinated. In Detroit, 46% received the first dose and 39% are fully immunized.

Adults living with children were also less likely to support vaccine requirements for schools, work, travel and events.

View the full study findings here.

For more statewide data, visit MLives coronavirus data page.

To find a testing site near you, check out the states online test find send an email to COVID19@michigan.gov, or call 888-535-6136 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.

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