New Research Finds Nearly 90 Percent Of Colorado Parents Agree That Immunizations Are Important, Though Many Continue To Have Safety Concerns

Main Category: Immune System / Vaccines
Also Included In: Preventive Medicine;  Public Health
Article Date: 28 Apr 2010 - 2:00 PDT


According to new research conducted for the Colorado Children's Immunization Coalition and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Immunization Program, 88 percent of online Colorado parents support immunization for their child. The release of the findings coincides with National Infant Immunization Week, April 24 to May 1, which highlights the success of immunization in dramatically reducing the prevalence of vaccine-preventable disease in the US.

Many of these parents also have concerns about immunization. Over half of respondents "agreed" or "somewhat agreed" they had concerns about the safety of vaccination for their child. Parents cited their concerns about immunizations that centered on perceived adverse reactions that could be caused by a vaccine. While some respondents mentioned specific reactions that they were afraid of such as sickness, pain, or Autism, a large proportion simply described their fear in general terms related to the perceived possible negative effects of vaccines.

"The vast majority of Colorado parents are vaccinating their children, which is a wonderful gift of health for each child and our state," said Joni Reynolds, Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Immunization Program. "The medical and scientific community is confident that vaccines are safe and important to prevent dangerous childhood diseases. We want to better understand how to build parents' confidence in this fact."

The research, conducted by Corona Insights, was commissioned to determine Colorado parents' attitudes towards childhood vaccinations. Four hundred surveys were completed as part of the study conducted via the web, targeting future parents and those with children up to age 8. This data will be used to help understand parents' concerns with vaccination, especially those fears not based in science.

"We maintain high rates of childhood vaccination in our state, but have struggled with the perception that vaccination is a controversial topic," said Lydia McCoy, Executive Director of the Colorado Children's Immunization Coalition. "Now we understand that, yes, parents are immunizing their children, but they want to make informed choices about their child's health. This is great news for us, because it presents an opportunity to answer their questions and foster a discussion about why vaccination is a safe and effective way to protect their children from disease."

According to the survey, a significant portion of parents (86 percent) felt that the benefits of immunizations outweigh the risks associated with vaccinations. When asked what helped them decide if immunizations were right for their child, most respondents said they chose to have their child immunized for the protection of their child's health or safety. The study found that over two-thirds of parents begin thinking about a plan for their child's immunization during or before pregnancy.

Colorado's rate for fully immunizing the state's children' from 19 to 35 months of age was at 79.4 percent according to the most recent report in 2008 from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national average is 76.1 percent.

Source: Colorado Children's Immunization Coalition

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