87% of pediatricians reported parents refusing vaccines in 2013 — 9 takeaways on spike in vaccine refusals

Practice Management

An American Academy of Pediatrics' fellows survey report found a striking increase in the number of parents refusing to vaccinate their children between 2006 and 2013, according to Medscape.

The report includes survey results from 629 AAP members in 2006 and 627 AAP members in 2013.

 

Pediatrics published the survey report.

 

Here are nine takeaways:

 

1. Compared to 74.5 percent of pediatricians reporting parental vaccine refusals in 2006, 87 percent of pediatricians reported the same in 2013.

 

2. Pediatricians said the percentage of parents who refused one vaccine in their practices increased to 8.6 percent in 2013, up from 4.5 percent in 2006.

 

3. Further, the survey found the percentage of parents refusing more than one vaccine rose from 2.5 percent in 2006 to 4.8 percent in 2013.

 

4. Pediatricians reported the percentage of parents refusing all vaccines increased from 2.1 percent in 2006 to 3.3 percent in 2013.

 

5. As for reasons for refusals, 73.1 percent of pediatricians in 2013 believed parents found the vaccines unnecessary, compared to 63.4 percent in 2006. In 2006, autism and thimerosal concerns drove most vaccine refusals.

 

6. In 2013, the following percentage of pediatricians reported their perceived reasons for parents delaying vaccines:

 

• Potential pain and discomfort of child — 75 percent
• Harming young immune systems with multiple vaccines — 72.5 percent
• Safety concerns other than autism — 56.8 percent o
• Autism concerns — 53.9 percent

 

7. The survey found 87.6 percent of pediatricians experienced delay requests for at least one vaccine in the previous 12 months.

 

8. Pediatricians noted vaccine education only convinced about one-third of the parents to acquiesce.

 

9. The study authors noted practice location impacted results, with pediatricians in urban, suburban or rural locations more like to receive delay requests than those in inner-city settings.

 

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