Peer-reviewed article

Support for immunization-related child tax credit programs: A survey of parents in the United States.

Boyce MR · 26 Jun 2026

Abstract

Objectives Describe parental attitudes toward proposed tax credit policies that would promote pediatric immunization coverage in the United States. Methods A national survey was conducted from August-September 2025. Participants were recruited from an online panel and asked to use Likert scales to characterize support for proposed policies that would: revise the eligibility criteria of the existing federal child tax credit to include age-appropriate immunization, create a new tax credit for parents providing evidence that their children are age-appropriately immunized, or create a new tax credit for families residing in a state where at least 95% of the children are age-appropriately immunized. Results The data analysis included 1006 participants. 53.9% expressed support for revising the eligibility criteria of existing child tax credits to include age-appropriate immunization. 62.6% expressed support for creating a new tax credit for parents providing evidence that their children are age-appropriate immunized. 57.4% expressed support for creating a new tax credit for families residing in a state where at least 95% of the children are age-appropriately immunized. Support differed according to participant characteristics, but notably, not according to partisanship or welfare program participation. Conclusions Most parents in this survey supported novel tax policies that may improve immunization coverage.