STUDY ASSESSES VACCINE BELIEFS OF PARENTS OPPOSED TO COMPULSORY VACCINATION

[Guest guest]

(3) how vaccines work, - looking forward to seeing someone be able to

explain that as they can't, because they don't 'work' by giving immunity

that's for sure.

And this one

" * to be from the lowest income category surveyed " = income category has

nothing to do with intelligence and wisdom. And I see it all across the

spectrum, and more in upper income, actually

Sheri

STUDY ASSESSES VACCINE BELIEFS OF PARENTS OPPOSED TO COMPULSORY VACCINATION

" A parent's opposition to compulsory vaccination is associated with

negative attitudes and beliefs about the safety and utility of vaccines, "

state the authors of an article published in the May 2005 issue of Public

Health Reports. Although all 50 states legislate that children must be up

to date in their required vaccinations before starting school, all states

also allow exemptions from this requirement. As of the 2004-2005 school

year, 19 states allowed for a philosophical exemption (distinct from a

religious exemption) in which parents who oppose vaccination for

philosophical reasons may claim exemption for their child. The article

describes the sociodemographic factors, vaccine beliefs, and behaviors

associated with a parent's opposition to compulsory vaccination. The

authors also discuss the association between the availability of a

philosophical exemption in a parent's state of residence and parental

objection to compulsory vaccination.

Data from the 2002 HealthStyles survey were used for the analysis. Parents

were asked about their level of agreement (on a five-point Likert scale)

with allowing their children to go to public school even if they are not

vaccinated. Parents who strongly agreed or agreed that children should be

allowed to go to public school even if they are not vaccinated were

categorized as opposed to compulsory vaccination (opposed parents). Parents

who were neutral, disagreed, or strongly disagreed with the statement were

categorized as supportive of compulsory vaccination (supportive parents).

Sociodemographic characteristics and parental attitude, beliefs, and

behavior were used to predict the outcome variable.

The final study sample included 1,527 parents with at least one child ages

18 or younger living in the household.

The authors found that 12% (N=188) of the parents were opposed to

compulsory vaccination for school entry. Opposed parents were more likely

than supportive parents

* to be from the lowest income category surveyed

* to agree that the body can protect itself from vaccine-preventable

disease without vaccines

* to disagree that vaccines are necessary to prevent certain diseases

* to believe that vaccines are not important or only somewhat important to

children's health

* to indicate that they did not plan to have their youngest child receive

all recommended vaccines

* to live in a state where philosophical exemption to vaccination was

available

The authors conclude that " effective risk communication between providers

and parents, as well as provision of basic vaccine information to parents

regarding (1) the diseases vaccines prevent, (2) what could happen if their

children are not vaccinated, (3) how vaccines work, and (4) the concept of

herd immunity, are important first steps in building a better understanding

of the importance of routine childhood vaccinations. "

Kennedy A, Brown CJ, Gust DA. 2005. Vaccine beliefs of parents who oppose

compulsory vaccination. Public Health Reports 120(3):252-258. Available at

http://www.publichealthreports.org/userfiles/120_3/120252.pdf.

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

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

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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