To characterise the information needs and experiences of receiving COVID-19 vaccine information by youth with mental health concerns.

Thematic analysis of semistructured interview transcripts.

Semistructured interviews via WebEx video conferencing or by telephone.

46 youth aged 16–29 with one or more self-reported mental health concerns and six family members of youth.

Our analysis generated four main themes: (1) information content and characteristics; (2) critical appraisal; (3) modulators of information-seeking behaviour; and (4) unmet information needs.

Our findings suggest that youth with mental health concerns have unique information needs and processing patterns influenced by their environments and experiences with mental health concerns. Participants identified barriers to receiving reliable health information and suggested ways to improve this process.