Antivaccinationism: Parental viewpoint

Abstract

Vaccines are considered to be one of the most important and effective health interventions ever developed. Despite the great success of the childhood vaccination program in preventing disease-or, likely because of it-parental vaccine refusal rates in the USA and other developed countries are on the rise. Without firsthand experience with most vaccine-preventable diseases, parents have concerns that are increasingly focused instead on the issues of vaccine safety and personal liberties. While these issues have been raised by the public since the vaccination program began, the increasing number of parents opting out of or delaying vaccinations for their children has led to recent localized outbreaks of previously well-controlled diseases. Parents' concerns over vaccine safety have been greatly elevated due to the profusion of information-much of it scientifically inaccurate-available on the Internet and other media outlets. Further, some parents' postmodern skepticism toward both the government and the medical community has led them to be both less trustful of vaccination and its advocates and more open to alternative interpretations. In order to develop successful interventions that ensure that herd immunity is sustained, the public health and medical community must gain a deeper understanding of the reasons that parents refuse or delay vaccinations for their children as well as the context and sources of parents' concerns.