Parents' reported reasons for avoiding MMR vaccination A telephone survey

• Published in: Scandinavian journal of primary health care Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 149 - 153
• Main Authors: Dannetun, Eva, Tegnell, Anders, Hermansson, Göran, Giesecke, Johan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.09.2005
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude to Health; Attitudes; Child, Preschool; Humans; Immunization; Immunization Programs; Infant; Interviews as Topic; Measles; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine - adverse effects; MEDICIN; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; MEDICINE; MMR; Mumps; Parents; Parents - psychology; Refusal to Participate - psychology; Rubella; Surveys and Questionnaires; Sweden; Telephone; Treatment Refusal - psychology; Vaccination; Vaccination - psychology; Sweden
• ISSN: 0281-3432; 1502-7724; 1502-7724
• DOI: 10.1080/02813430510031306

Objective. During the second half of the 1990s and the first years of the 2000s a declining coverage for MMR vaccination in two-year-olds was observed in Sweden. The aim was to assess reasons for postponement or non-vaccination. Design. A telephone survey using a structured questionnaire on parents' attitudes regarding their choice to postpone or abstain from vaccinating their child. Setting. The County of Östergötland in Sweden. Subjects. A total of 203 parents of children who had no registered date for MMR vaccination at a Child Health Centre. Main outcome measures. Parental reasons for non-vaccination. Results. In all, 26 of the 203 children had received MMR vaccination but this had not been registered. Of those not vaccinated, 40% of the parents had decided to abstain and 60% to postpone vaccination. Fear of side effects was the most common reason for non-vaccination in both groups. The main source of information was the media followed by the Child Health Centre. Parents with a single child more often postponed vaccination and those who abstained were more likely to have had a discussion with a doctor or nurse about MMR vaccine. Conclusion. Postponers and abstainers may have different reasons for their decision. The role of well-trained healthcare staff in giving advice and an opportunity to discuss MMR vaccination with concerned parents is very important.