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Nurses’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination for their children are highly influenced by partisanship, a new study finds
The Conversation ^ | December 2, 2022 | Filip Viskupič, David Wiltse

Posted on 12/02/2022 3:25:36 PM PST by nickcarraway

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big idea

Children of nurses who identify as Republican are less likely to receive a COVID-19 vaccination compared with children of nurses who identify as Democrat, according to our recently published study in the Journal of Community Health.

We surveyed more than 1,000 nurses in South Dakota in June and July of 2022. Of those, 298 participants reported having children 5 to 17 years old. We asked this group about the vaccination status of their children and found that the children of nurses who identified as Democrats had a 13% higher probability of being vaccinated compared with the offspring of nurses who identified as Republican.

The timing of our survey only allowed us to measure the vaccination intention of parents of children from 6 months to 4 years old, since authorization of COVID-19 vaccines for that age group occurred just days before the survey. Of the 123 nurses who reported having children 6 months to 4 years old, those who identified as Democrats had a 14% higher probability of intending to vaccinate their children compared to self-identified Republicans.

Additionally, we found that those nurses who received a COVID-19 booster dose were more likely to vaccinate their children. On the other hand, gender, education and type of nursing credential had no effect.

Why it matters

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination for children has been a contentious issue. In our study, we found that polarization among nurses split along political party lines in a similar fashion to the general public.

Despite the wide availability of safe and free COVID-19 vaccines for children and adolescents in the U.S., vaccination rates for people under age 18 are lower than for adults. As of Nov. 30, 2022, more than 60% of children remain unvaccinated.

Though children tend to be more resilient to COVID-19, there are still significant risks. The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention has reported more than 1,500 deaths of children under 18 from COVID-19, as of late November 2022. And children are susceptible to “long” COVID symptoms as well.

Nurses – and other health care workers – are at the forefront of efforts to contain COVID-19. They also advise patients who are deciding whether to vaccinate themselves and their families. Our study shows that among nurses, political partisanship appears to influence their attitudes toward vaccinating their own kids.

Public health officials are striving to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates. Yet the politicization of the pandemic continues to hinder these efforts.

Increasing vaccination rates among children will also protect the most vulnerable members of society, such as older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Nevertheless, some parents continue to resist vaccinating their children.

Our study shows that parents make COVID-19 vaccination decisions for the entire family. We found that nurses who received a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are more likely to vaccinate their children and adolescents. However, the nurses who haven’t received a booster dose are far less likely to vaccinate their children.

What other research is being done

Our findings align with other research carried out by ourselves and others that shows the strong influence of partisan self-identification on COVID-19 attitudes and behaviors.

Other studies we’ve done show that Republicans are less likely than Democrats to receive a COVID-19 vaccination and are less likely to support mandatory COVID-19 vaccination. We also found that nurses who identify as Republican are less likely to receive a COVID-19 booster dose.

Our study joins a growing body of work that seeks to explore the factors behind COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among health care workers. Other studies have linked race and ethnicity, as well as trust in government, physicians and pharmaceutical companies, to the attitudes of health care workers toward COVID-19 vaccination.

What’s next Given the politicization of the pandemic and the erosion of trust in authorities, it’s important that messages encouraging the vaccination of children come from trusted sources.

Our previous research suggests that religious leaders can help encourage compliance with COVID-19 prevention measures. In the future, we plan to investigate whether endorsements from trusted community leaders could convince parents to vaccinate their children.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Health/Medicine; Science
KEYWORDS: covid
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1 posted on 12/02/2022 3:25:36 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

That last paragraph should scare the (bleep) out of every parent.


2 posted on 12/02/2022 3:29:15 PM PST by mewzilla (We will never restore the republic if we don't first secure the ballot box.)
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To: nickcarraway

The issue has absolutely nothing to do with partisanship. The fact is that most Republicans are better informed than Democrats. Most Democrats get their information from highly biased sources - Legacy Media, and government. They’re not even aware there is legitimate controversy about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID vaccines, as is the author of this article. He’s clearly a Democrat.


3 posted on 12/02/2022 3:45:38 PM PST by norwaypinesavage (Capitalism is what happens when you leave people alone.)
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To: nickcarraway

The consequences for foolish people with sheep mentality vaccinating their kids with an experimental treatment cannot be understated. Sigh - may the young be able to forgive the grown for subjecting them to an experiment to keep the aged safe.


4 posted on 12/02/2022 3:46:40 PM PST by week 71
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To: mewzilla

It’s absolutely absurd.

What is this “Conversation”? What do they know about biology?


5 posted on 12/02/2022 3:46:43 PM PST by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMV)
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To: the OlLine Rebel

This isn’t about biology, or science, or even about public health.

It’s about government control.


6 posted on 12/02/2022 3:49:47 PM PST by mewzilla (We will never restore the republic if we don't first secure the ballot box.)
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To: nickcarraway

Every Democrats MUST be fully vaccinated and boosted, yes of course!


7 posted on 12/02/2022 3:57:04 PM PST by JJBookman (Democrats = Party of lunitics )
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To: the OlLine Rebel
What is this “Conversation”? What do they know about biology?

They are a part of the reliably "Progressive/globalist" media who push "progressive/globalist" talking points.

8 posted on 12/02/2022 3:59:04 PM PST by marktwain
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To: nickcarraway

OK, this tells me that those highly educated rats are a whole lot dumber then the average American...


9 posted on 12/02/2022 4:03:34 PM PST by unread ("It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required." W. Churchill.)
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To: nickcarraway

OK, this tells me that those highly educated rats are a whole lot dumber then the average American...


10 posted on 12/02/2022 4:04:30 PM PST by unread ("It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required." W. Churchill.)
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To: unread

OOPS... I just doubled down...


11 posted on 12/02/2022 4:06:26 PM PST by unread ("It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required." W. Churchill.)
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To: nickcarraway
the children of nurses who identified as Democrats had a 13% higher probability of being vaccinated compared with the offspring of nurses who identified as Republican.
We need a campaign to get that up to 50% higher for demonrats.
12 posted on 12/02/2022 4:14:09 PM PST by eyeamok (founded in cynicism, wrapped in sarcasm)
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To: nickcarraway

Fewer Democrats is always a terrific idea.


13 posted on 12/02/2022 4:17:47 PM PST by upchuck (The longer I remain unjabbed with the clot-shots, the more evidence I see supporting my decision.)
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To: eyeamok

The trouble is a good chunk of the dim base is black and they are the reluctant ones. If it was just white dims vs white pubs the difference might be more stark.


14 posted on 12/02/2022 4:23:38 PM PST by xp38 (!)
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To: nickcarraway; norwaypinesavage; week 71

Lots of info on Covid vaccine injury.

Steve Kirsch’s substack
https://stevekirsch.substack.com/about

Dr. Robert Malone’s substack
https://rwmalonemd.substack.com/about

Dr. Peter McCullough’s web page
https://www.petermcculloughmd.com/


15 posted on 12/02/2022 4:46:11 PM PST by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: nickcarraway

Proves the adage “People with no faith will believe anything”.


16 posted on 12/02/2022 4:51:45 PM PST by RetiredTexasVet (Biden not only suffers fools and criminals, he appoints them to positions of responsibility. )
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To: FreedomPoster

Thanks for the links. These gentlemen have been on frontlines for most of this pandemic advocating for truth and informed consent.


17 posted on 12/02/2022 4:51:51 PM PST by week 71
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To: nickcarraway
Despite the wide availability of safe and free COVID-19 vaccines for children and adolescents in the U.S....

You lost me right there. There is nothing safe or effective about the Covid 19 shot or the boosters.

18 posted on 12/02/2022 5:15:16 PM PST by AlaskaErik (In time of peace, prepare for war.)
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To: norwaypinesavage

How does it make sense when Donald Trump who was allegedly a Republican president created and pushed the vaccine, and Joe Biden who was running for president as a Democrat said he didn’t trust the vaccine?


19 posted on 12/02/2022 5:21:10 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
Libtards have always been more susceptible to junk science
20 posted on 12/02/2022 5:43:31 PM PST by NWFree (Somebody has to say it 🤪)
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