With Trust, Fearful Parents Will OK Child Shots

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http://www.pediatricnews.com/article/PIIS0031398X05707001/fulltext

Volume 39, Issue 11, Page 12 (November 2005)

With Trust, Fearful Parents Will OK Child Shots

MIRIAM E. TUCKER (Senior Writer)

Article Outline

• Copyright

WASHINGTON — Even parents who don't trust vaccines might let you vaccinate

their children if they trust you.

That was the conclusion drawn from a survey of parents of 7,810 children

aged 19–35 months from the 2001–2002 National Immunization Survey,

conducted by Philip J. , Ph.D., and his associates at the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention's National Immunization Program, in Atlanta.

The majority of parents (77%) said they believed vaccines were safe and

that their belief was influenced by their child's healthcare provider

(physician, nurse, or other). However, 5.7% of parents reported believing

that vaccines were not safe, with 2% saying they were not influenced by

their child's healthcare provider and the 3.7% reporting that they were.

Another 17.2% said that they believed vaccines were safe but their belief

was not influenced by a healthcare provider. This group is of concern,

because “One thing we don't want to happen is that these parents' opinions

migrate to the other side,” Dr. said at the annual meeting of the

American Academy of Pediatrics.

Parents who were not influenced by a healthcare provider were significantly

more likely to say that vaccines were not safe, compared with parents who

were so influenced (10.4% vs. 4.6%).

Somewhat surprising, however, were the up-to-date immunization rates among

the children of the parents who believe that immunizations are not safe:

71.5% for those who said they were influenced by a healthcare provider,

compared with just 55.8% of those who were not, a highly significant

difference. “All this is pointing to the importance of a healthcare

provider talking with the parent,” Dr. said.

Indeed, earlier this year the American Academy of Pediatrics published

guidelines on how to respond to parental refusal of immunization for their

children (Pediatrics 2005;115:1428–31). Among AAP's recommendations are to

listen respectfully to what the parents have to say and not minimize their

concerns. Be honest about the benefits and risks of immunization, correct

any misconceptions or misinformation, and refer the parents to trusted

sources such as the CDC's National Immunization Program page

(www.cdc.gov/nip).

PII: S0031-398X(05)70700-1

doi:10.1016/S0031-398X(05)70700-1

© 2005 Elsevier Inc.. All rights reserved.

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Sheri Nakken, R.N., MA, Classical Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

$$ Donations to help in the work - accepted by Paypal account

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ANY INFO OBTAINED HERE NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS MEDICAL

OR LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION TO VACCINATE IS YOURS AND YOURS ALONE.

******

" Just look at us. Everything is backwards; everything is upside down.

Doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy

knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the major media destroy information

and religions destroy spirituality " .... Ellner