Vaccination and the Anti-Vaccination Movement
Vaccination is considered as one of the most successful public health measures worldwide in providing protection against mortality and morbidity from various infectious diseases. In Canada, majority of the people realize the value of vaccination and support the vaccination drive. However, over last few decades increasing number of parents are being reported to withdraw their children from getting vaccinated against various diseases, as they perceive vaccination being unsafe and unnecessary. Influence of anti-vaxxer or anti-vaccination parents is believed to play a role behind this anti-vaccination movement (Caulfield, p229).
Influence of Anti-Vaxxer Parents
Anti-vaxxer parents are those who decide to keep their children away from vaccination, in spite of availability of vaccination services provided by the government. High vaccination coverage is required to achieve herd immunity, as it slows down transmission of vaccine preventive diseases and lowers the infection risk among vulnerable community (Caulfield, p229). Avoiding vaccination can lead to reoccurrence of vaccine preventive diseases. Anti-vaxxer parents pose a risk to the society as they are capable of influencing a larger population from undergoing vaccination. However, the influence of anti-vaxxer parents as a determinant of the anti-vaccination movement has remained a subject of debate, as the impacts of anti-vaxxer parents are often thought to be exaggerated (Samantha Vanderslott).
Factors Contributing to Vaccine Hesitancy
Lack of knowledge regarding vaccination, access to negative information on internet, and mistrust on healthcare professionals can significantly shape vaccine hesitancy (Downs, p1595). The problem of vaccine hesitancy is complex and requires collective efforts by the public health experts, policy makers, and healthcare providers to empower common public with the right information regarding the benefits of vaccination. The views of vaccine hesitant parents need to be addressed respectfully and they should be informed about the risk of not undergoing vaccination.
Impact of Vaccination
Every year, vaccination prevents 2 to 3 million deaths across the globe (Caulfield, p229). Eradication of small pox worldwide is one of the greatest achievements of vaccination programs. In spite of the success of vaccination programs, parents’ hesitancy is posing a threat to the immunization drive globally. Several studies indicate that increasing number of parents are willing to withdraw their children from getting vaccinated which is a matter of concern, as it is considered as a contributing factor behind decline in vaccination rate. Despite Canadian government’s attempt and educational information on the government website (Canadian Government), desired success in vaccination rate cannot be achieved. Front line vaccine providers and vaccine experts are having a perception that vaccination rates in Canada have decreased over the years, which is attributable to the vaccine hesitancy among Canadian parents due to multiple social, cultural, political, and personal factors.
Common Myths and Misconceptions
Circulation of various myths regarding vaccination influence parents’ decision. The World Health Organization has reported the commonly perceived myths associated with risk of vaccination (WHO report). According to a 2015 survey, one in every four Canadian parents have a false belief that vaccination is linked to autism and other mental health problems, although there are no scientific proofs. Another study revealed that 39% Canadians think the science behind vaccination is not well understood. A recent research reported the loss of benefit of ‘herd immunity’ in Vancouver due to fall in vaccination rate (Caulfield, p229). Occurrence of vaccine preventable diseases were found to increase in developing and developed countries globally due to low vaccination rates. Latest reports of National Immunization Survey revealed that in the United States, more than 4% of kindergarten children were exempted from school entry vaccine mandates due to parental choice.
Influence of Anti-Vaxxer Parents
Vaccination hesitancy in general population is theorized to be affected by the anti-vaxxer parents, who themselves do not get their children vaccinated and are believed to convince other parents not to undergo vaccination. These anti-vaxxer parents are seen as risk factors and barriers in successful immunization drive. Scientific study analyzed the risk factors associated with anti-vaxxer parents who seek exemption from school immunization drive out of their personal misconceptions about vaccination. The recent outbreak of measles in Canada and other vaccine preventable diseases are partly attributed to the efforts by anti-vaxxer parents’ community.
Debunking Myths and Addressing Concerns
However, the role of the anti-vaxxer parents remains debatable as their effects on lowering vaccination rates may be overstated. Anti-vaxxers are believed to be minority, and their beliefs are not always translated into action. Survey measuring vaccine skepticism reveals that high skepticism rarely results in low vaccination. This discrepancy is known as attitude-behaviors gap in psychology. More important issues for low vaccination rate often remain hidden behind the popular anti-vaxxer movements. Poverty and exclusion, resource disparity, influence by rich and powerful countries are among the other factors that may result in low vaccination rate. According to CBC news, parents are not to be blamed for low vaccination rate, but politics plays role behind the anti-immunization movement.
Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy
To resolve the anti-vaccination movements by the parents, it is important to understand what leads the parents to keep their children away from vaccination. The decision can be influenced by many myths regarding the risk and danger of vaccination that circulate on internet or through word of mouth. Whereas the truth is that the currently recommended vaccines have well-known safety profiles. The study that linked vaccination with autism has been debunked. Parents often are concerned about the safety of vaccination. A common belief is that a child’s body cannot tackle multiple vaccinations, whereas in reality, our immune system is efficient in handling many challenges. Vaccines are brought to the market only after years of research and rigorous monitoring (ref). Study reveals that parents’ decision for vaccination is generally influenced by various factors, including personal experience, value system, and trust in healthcare professionals. Many parents do not have the basic knowledge of how vaccines work in their child’s body. The standard information provided about the vaccines often is not helpful enough. Parents in favor of vaccination often get confused by the ongoing debates regarding vaccination.
Effective Communication and Education
Vaccination hesitancy is a complicated social phenomenon, involving issues like trust and perceived conflicts of interest. Creative and science-informed strategies may help to tackle the anti-vaxxer misinformation. It is the need of the hour that vaccine education be made simpler and tailored to the individual parental needs. Parents rely on the healthcare professionals they visit, so the clinicians have a crucial role to play in clearing the doubts and misconceptions related to vaccination. Anti-vaxxer parents must be dealt with respectfully and their concerns should be addressed at the individual level. Providing the right information regarding the benefits of vaccination and the risk of staying unvaccinated can help the anti-vaxxer parents change their minds and let their children get vaccinated.
Works Cited
“Anti-vaxxer effect on vaccination rates is exaggerated.” The Conversation. Samantha Vanderslott. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/anti-vaxxer-effect-on-vaccination-rates-is-exaggerated-92630.
“Politics, not parenting, to blame for 'vaccination hesitancy, UW prof says.” CBC News. Posted: Apr 10, 2018. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/vaccination-hesitancy-parenting-decision-anti-vax-history-1.4611576.
Caulfield, T., Marcon, A.R., " Murdoch, B. “Injecting doubt: responding to the naturopathic anti-vaccination rhetoric. “Journal of Law and the Biosciences, Volume 4, Issue 2, 1 August 2017, Pages 229–249.
Downs, S.J., Bruin, W. B., " Fischhoff, B. “Parents’ vaccination comprehension and decisions.” Vaccine. Volume 26, Issue 12,17 March 2008, Pages 1595-1607.
Government of Canada. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/vaccination-children.html.
James A. G., " Steve R. “Risk factors associated with parents claiming personal-belief exemptions to school immunization requirements: Community and other influences on more skeptical parents in Oregon.” 2006. Social Science " Medicine 211 (2018) 274–281.
Lori A., Kestenbaum, M.D., " Kristen, A. Feemster, MD, MPH, MSHP. Identifying and Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy. Pediatr Ann. 2015 Apr; 44(4): e71–e75.
WHO report. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/vaccine_safety/initiative/detection/immunization_misconceptions/en/.
