Impact of caregiver vaccination status on child influenza vaccination hesitancy: A time-to-vaccination analysis for 2023–2024 season in the Republic of Korea

Children face heightened risks of severe influenza compared to healthy adults. Republic of Korea provides free influenza vaccinations to children aged 6 months to 13 years. Global vaccine hesitancy has surged amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assesses how caregivers' vaccination status influences childhood influenza vaccination hesitancy using national data from the 2023-2024 period. Analyzing data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's Immunization Registry Information System, focusing on 2-year-old children, 93.0 % were eligible after excluding those who didn't complete the initial two-dose schedule. 'Time to Vaccination' spanned from the program's inception to inoculation. Cox proportional hazards regression found children were 1.53 times more likely to get vaccinated if their caregiver had been, with significance (Exp(B) = 1.531, p < .001). Female gender and text message reminders were also influential. These results underscore caregiver vaccination's pivotal role in curbing childhood influenza vaccination hesitancy.