Journal article
Childhood immunization refusal: the return of vaccine-preventable diseases
In order to understand the impact of vaccine exemptions on the potential resurgence of once-eradicated infectious diseases, mathematical models of vaccination behavior have been developed [2,26-29]. These studies show that vaccine refusal not only increases the individual’s risk of disease but also increases the risk for those who cannot be vaccinated due to medical conditions, those too young to be vaccinated, and those who were vaccinated but did not mount an immune response due to vaccine failure. Major reasons for vaccine refusal in the U.S. are parental concerns about the safety of vaccination as well as a lower level of concern about the risk of infection. Therefore, if the vaccination levels necessary to achieve the population’s herd immunity are to be maintained, increased efforts will be needed to educate the public on vaccine safety and infection risks.
Authors
Languages
- English
Publication year
2012
Journal
Journal of Vaccines & Vaccination
Volume
3
Type
Journal article
Categories
- Service delivery
Diseases
- Polio
Countries
- United States of America
Tags
- Demand
WHO Regions
- Region of the Americas
