Parents' vaccination fears remain high

Numerous studies have debunked the theory that childhood vaccines cause autism, and autism researchers are now, for the most part, focusing on other potential causes of the disorder. But one in five parents still believe that vaccines may cause autism, according to a study released online Sunday in the journal Pediatrics.

The survey of 1,552 parents taken in 2009 paints a portrait of Americans anxious about vaccines that were once heralded for their effect on child health. Ninety percent of the parents agreed that vaccines were a good way to protect children from disease. But 54% said they were concerned about adverse side effects from vaccines and 12% said they had refused at least one vaccine that the doctor had recommended for their child.

Parents were more skeptical of newer vaccines, such as the HPV vaccine that protects against strains of a virus that can cause cervical cancer, than they were of older ones, such as measles-mumps-rubella. The study will appear in the print issue of Pediatrics in April.

How parents feel about vaccines is becoming more important. Outbreaks of diseases that used to be rare, such as mumps and pertussis, have occurred in recent years and are linked to the public's distrust of vaccines.

-- Shari Roan

Photo credit: Noel Celis / AFP / Getty Images

Comments

[tony]

Wake up people, the money Wakefield earned for his testimony was donated to a hospital (http://briandeer.com/mmr/money-emails-2006.pdf) . And besides, if accepting money from special interests was a crime, every medical school (Harvard students protest) would be shut down and every doctor would be in jail.
Look at the decline in diseases prior to vaccination (up to 95% in some cases mainly due to sanitation) as well as diseases eradicated without vaccines (Scarlet Fever, Typhoid Fever). You could ask why the vast majority of Measles outbreaks in this country occur in vaccinated populations or why did flu deaths increase after vaccination started. Ask why so many fall ill immediately after vaccination. Coincedence, why have they paid out billions in damages to families? Don’t believe me or anyone else for that matter especially those who’s livelihood depends on your ignorance. Do your own research.

[Marie Devine]

Our children are not healthier. Many doctors will not give shots to their own children. God warned do not take the swine flu shot. We are to trust in God, fear brings unwanted things to us. It is after the fact, that doctors condemn previous practices they thought were good. Many studies are conducted by those who benefit from an "ok" assessment.
Google searches on vaccinations warnings etc.will bring good advise from people with no benefits to them.

[Reality]

lulz. The Big Pharma Illuminati! Oh noes!

I'm going to have to disagree with Tony. He's clearly been drinking the anti-vaxx kool-aide for so long he's lost a good portion of brain cells. At any rate, Wakefield did not disclose the source of his funding, therein lies the problem. All studies, Big Pharma Illuminati funded or not, must disclose their backers. Wakefield failed to do so and thanks to Brian Deer that "oversight," as well as nearly a dozen other unethical and dishonest practices by Wakefield, were discovered; not the least of which was outright manufacturing data.

I'm having a bit of trouble reading Marie's post, perhaps she's not a native English speaker. I'm not sure which god is giving you medical advice, dear, but you might want to seek a second opinion.

[michael]

It seems that many of the comments that are against vaccination are from younger less experienced people, and may mean well. However, when I was growing up in the forties and early fifties, summer was dreaded. Why? It was the "polio season". There were wards of victims imprisoned in a large "iron lung", captive because the machine breathed for them. It was not unusual to see young children with metal braces fitted on their legs to give them support in order to be mobile, and many died. That all changed with the advent of polio vaccine. Even today, those who were victims of polio before the vaccine can have a re-ocurrance for which little can be done. There were millions of us who were vaccinated, and reactions and adverse effects were rare. Much, much rarer than the effects of the disease the vaccine prevented.
The decline in disease such as scarlet fever , typhoid fever and other infectious diseases is due to medical advances in detection and treatment.
To vaccinate or not is an important decision not to be taken hastily or based on emotion or ignorance. (God desires that people use "thinking ability")
Most doctors are caring, dedicated professionals who have their patients best interests at heart. (I am not in the medical field)
There is a wealth of good accurate information available, and there is a torrent of inaccurate, ignorant and misleading information out there. Exercise due diligence in investigating the pros and cons. Use your reasoning power, not emotions.
It is an important decision. It is also a personal one. Will your child happen to have an immune system that would be effective against some of the diseases that can be protected against by vaccination or not? If you take that chance and your child is exposed and is not able to ward off the disease, how will you feel?
Something to give consideration to.
May you and yours enjoy good health regardless of your decision.