Photo Credit: Drazen Zigic

Parental sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 vaccination status are associated with children’s MMR vaccination rates in the United States, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Eric Zhou, PhD, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional study to examine the association between parental characteristics and MMR vaccination status of children. Responses from 19,892 parents of children aged younger than 5 were analyzed. MMR vaccination rates were higher for children of parents who received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine versus children of unvaccinated parents (80.8% vs 60.9%). MMR vaccination rates were lower for children of parents with Medicaid or Medicare versus private insurance and for racial/ethnic minorities versus White parents. In the Northeast and Midwest United States, MMR vaccination rates were higher. “Addressing these disparities, through equitable access and fostering trust and transparency in vaccine safety, is key to protecting children from preventable diseases like measles,” Dr. Zhou said in a statement.