More Parents Refuse To Vaccinate Their Children, Study Reveals

Anti-vax parents are increasing as of today than a decade ago. The study reveals there was an increase of the rate of pediatricians that had encountered a parent refusing to vaccinate their children that went from about 75 percent to 87 percent in between 2006 to 2013.

The study was published in the journal Pediatrics on August 29, 2016. The researchers asked 627 pediatricians in 2013 whether their patients' parents had ever refused a vaccination or delayed a vaccination. They also asked the pediatricians about their views on the reasons why the parents refuse or delay their children's vaccination, according to Live Science.

The findings of the study showed that 87 percent of pediatricians said there were vaccine refusals from parents of their patients in 2013. This had increased by 75 percent of pediatricians who said the same in 2006. This means that many children are not receiving all or some vaccines that are significant for their health.

The researchers stated that vaccination will inhibit around 322 million illnesses among children born between 1994 and 2013. The dangerous diseases such as measles and whooping cough could return due to unvaccinated kids.

According to Mother Jones, more parents refuse to vaccinate their children because they think vaccines are unnecessary. The study also showed that parents delay or skip vaccinations due to other reasons. These include concerns over child discomfort and harming the child's immune system.

Catherine Hough-Telford, the lead author of the study explained that parents who are making decisions about vaccines today have never lived through measles outbreaks or children dying of pertussis or polio. "They've never seen these illnesses firsthand." The doctors said that it is significant to vaccinate people as possible so as to create "herd immunity" by limiting the infected population in order for vulnerable groups such as infants and the elderly would less likely to be exposed.