Study: Common pro-vaccine messages may backfire
In a trial of several types of fact-based messages that encouraged parents to have their children immunized with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, none worked, especially among those least disposed to have their kids vaccinated, US researchers reported yesterday in Pediatrics.
The scientists tested four types of promotion based on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site:
- Information explaining the lack of evidence that the MMR vaccine causes autism
- Text that relayed the dangers of the three diseases
- Images of children who have measles, mumps, or rubella
- A dramatic narrative about an infant who almost died of measles
Additionally, one group among the 1,759 parents tested received information unrelated to vaccines and served as the controls. The researchers asked the volunteers about their intent to have their children vaccinated before and after the various interventions.
They found that none of the interventions increased the intent to vaccinate. Refuting claims of an MMR-autism link did reduce misperceptions on that score but nonetheless decreased intent to vaccinate among parents least inclined toward vaccination.
The authors also found that images of sick children actually increased belief in a vaccine-autism link, and the dramatic narrative increased belief in serious vaccine side effects.
The researchers write that pro-vaccine approaches should be carefully assessed before disseminating them widely, especially among skeptical populations. They add, "Attempts to increase concerns about communicable diseases or correct false claims about vaccines may be especially likely to be counterproductive," and call for more study.
Mar 3 Pediatrics abstract
Mar 3 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) news release on the study
CDC: Childhood vaccines save $69 billion in a single cohort
In a separate report in Pediatrics yesterday, CDC investigators noted just why promoting childhood vaccines is so important, calculating that vaccinating all babies born in a single year would yield $13.5 billion in direct savings and $68.8 billion in total societal savings over the course of their lifetimes.
The researchers used data on vaccination coverage, published vaccine efficacies, historical data on disease incidence before vaccination, and disease incidence reported from 2005 to 2009. They used a hypothetical 2009 US birth cohort of 4,261,494 infants followed over their lifetimes.
They found that nine childhood vaccinations would prevent about 42,000 early deaths and 20 million cases of disease, with a net savings of $13.5 billion in direct costs and $68.8 billion in total societal costs.
The authors said in an AAP news release, "The vaccines currently recommended for young children represent not only a major public health victory in terms of disease prevention, but also an excellent public health 'buy' in terms of dollars and cents."
Mar 3 Pediatrics abstract
Mar 3 AAP news release
