An Analysis of the Factors that Influence Vaccination Rates

Abstract

Due to the current rise of the vaccine hesitancy movement, there has been an increase in vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks (Mnookin, 2011; Reich, 2016). Parental rationalizations for opting out of vaccinations vary; however, some of the more commonly cited rationalizations include concerns for their child’s safety, distrust of medical professionals, and protection of civil liberties and individual decision-making processes (Glanz et al., 2013). Team IPOV has added to the literature body by examining how parents’ levels of knowledge about diseases, vaccine beliefs, and trust in institutions, medical professionals, and vaccines influence their levels of vaccine hesitancy, while adding the additional scope of the varicella and influenza vaccines and diseases. A hierarchical linear regression test revealed that trust exhibits the highest marginal impact on vaccine acceptance, followed by beliefs, and then, knowledge. Thus, while all three factors provided significant predictive insight into parents’ levels of vaccination hesitancy, parents’ trust in the varicella and influenza vaccines appear to possess the most significant impact over parents’ levels of vaccine hesitancy. Consequently, in considering future methods of alleviating vaccine hesitancy and increasing herd immunity, it is important to consider the ways in which trust can be built for the varicella and influenza vaccines.