Determinants of parental self-reported uptake of influenza vaccination in preschool children during the COVID-19 pandemic

In China, the coverage rate of influenza vaccination among the general population is significantly lower than that of high-income countries, with only 2.46% of the population vaccinated. Preschool-aged children are particularly susceptible to influenza viruses, yet the factors that influence parents’ willingness to vaccinate their children are not well understood. To address this research gap, we developed a theoretical model grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), which explores six key factors influencing parental self-reported uptake of influenza vaccination in preschool children: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, knowledge, and behavioral intention. We collected data from 872 parents of children in five major cities in China and employed structural equation modeling to examine the significance of the theoretical model and explore the potential moderating effects of demographic variables on path relationships. Our analysis revealed that several positive factors influenced parents’ intention of influenza vaccination for preschool children, including effort expectancy (β = 0.38), social influence (β = 0.17), and knowledge (β = 0.52). Facilitating conditions (β = 0.34), knowledge (β = 0.40), and behavioral intention (β = 0.34) were found to be associated with self-reported uptake. Furthermore, we observed significant moderating effects of the child’s gender and age, as well as the guardian’s category and income, on the theoretical models. Parents’ willingness to vaccinate preschool children against influenza is influenced by both psychological and demographic variables. Further studies are needed to determine if these relationships persist over time and across different regions.