Racial disparities in the rates of COVID-19 vaccine uptake among children from Arab, Asian, Black, Indigenous, White and Mixed racial families in Canada.

Publication date: Jun 28, 2025

Pediatric COVID-19 vaccination reduces symptomatic infections and hospitalizations. However, race-based disparities in pediatric COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Canada remain underexplored, despite well-documented inequities among adults. This study examines racial disparities in pediatric COVID-19 vaccine coverage in Canada and identifies key predictors, including structural and individual-level factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a nationally representative and ethnically diverse sample of 2528 parents of 4386 children aged 0-12 years in Canada. Parents completed measures assessing child’s COVID-19 vaccine uptake, COVID-19 vaccine mistrust, health literacy, experiences of racial discrimination, and child’s prior COVID-19 infection. Adjusted odd ratios was performed to identify factors associated with vaccine uptake. Overall pediatric vaccine coverage was 56. 8 %. Coverage was lowest among children of Black (39. 4 %, 95 % CI: 35. 4, 43. 5) and Arab (42. 9 %, 95 % CI: 38. 4, 47. 5) parents, compared to White (59. 5 %, 95 % CI: 57. 4, 61. 5) and Asian (71. 6 %, 95 % CI: 67. 3, 75. 6) parents (p

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Concepts Keywords
12years Canada
Canada Child
Hospitalizations COVID-19 vaccine uptake
Literacy Racial disparities
Racial

Semantics

Type Source Name
disease MESH COVID-19
disease MESH infections
disease IDO infection
drug DRUGBANK Abacavir
disease MESH morbidity
disease MESH infectious diseases
disease MESH measles
pathway KEGG Measles
drug DRUGBANK Coenzyme M
disease MESH education level
disease IDO history
disease IDO process
disease MESH marital status
disease MESH preterm birth
disease MESH unemployment
disease IDO role

Original Article

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