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Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health Poll Finds More than a Quarter of American Parents Have Vaccine FearsMore than a quarter of Americans parents expressed a concern about vaccinations, according to the Truven Health Analytics-NPR (News - Alert) Health Poll. Truven Health Analytics™ and NPR conduct a bimonthly poll to gauge attitudes and opinions on a wide range of health issues. The latest survey asked respondents to share their views about vaccinations. The results found 13 percent of Americans without children have concerns about vaccinations, and among this group the top concerns were negative side effects (26 percent); fear that vaccines would cause illness (23 percent); and public health concerns over the spread of illness by unvaccinated children (19 percent). Among respondents with children, 28 percent indicated they had concerns regarding vaccinations, which included negative side effects (36 percent); fear that vaccines would cause illness (27 percent); and other (18 percent). Opinions also vary between these groups on when children should be able to forgo vaccinations. Ninety one percent of parents and non-parents agree that children attending public schools should be required to be vaccinated. When asked if children should be vaccinated no matter what school they attend, only 83 percent of respondents who are parents said yes, while 89 percent of respondents without children living at home said inoculation should be a requirement. "Vaccinations have, somewhat surprisingly, emerged as a polarizing topic, and it's clear from these results that some parents are approaching them with trepidation," said Michel Taylor, M.D., chief medical officer at Truven Health Analytics. "The very preventable cases we've seen over the last year, such as a spread of measles that was traced back to Disneyland, underscore how important it is that parents not rush into decisions based on misinformation and conjecture." Overall, 97 percent of respondents with children said their kids had received all of the recommended vaccinations, a rate that increased with age, but decreased with increasing level of education. Of those who said their children's vaccinations were not up to date, the most cited reason was religious beliefs (34 percent). Fifteen percent said it's because they believe vaccines to cause illness. To date, the Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health Poll has explored numerous health topics, including generic drugs, abortion, vaccines, food allergies, and organic and genetically modified foods. NPR's reports on the surveys are archived online at the Shots health blog here. Truven Health Analytics maintains a library of poll results here. The Truven Health Analytics-NPR Health Poll is powered by the Truven Health PULSE® Healthcare Survey, the nation's largest and longest-running independently funded, nationally representative multi-modal poll that collects information about health-related behaviors and attitudes and healthcare utilization from 82,000 US households annually. Survey questions are developed in conjunction with NPR. The figures in this month's poll are based on 3,004 participants interviewed from March 2-14, 2015. The margin of error is 1.8 percent. About Truven Health Analytics At Truven Health Analytics, we're dedicated to delivering the answers our clients need to improve healthcare quality and access, and reduce costs. Our unmatched data assets, technology, analytic expertise, and comprehensive perspective have served the healthcare industry for more than 30 years. Everyday our insights and solutions give hospitals and clinicians, employers and health plans, state and federal government, life sciences researchers, and policymakers the confidence they need to make the right decisions, right now, every time. Truven Health Analytics owns some of the most trusted brands in healthcare, such as Micromedex, ActionOI, 100 Top Hospitals, MarketScan, and Advantage Suite. Truven Health has its principal offices in Ann Arbor, Mich.; Chicago; and Denver. For more information, please visit www.truvenhealth.com. About NPR NPR is an award-winning, multimedia news organization and an influential force in American life. In collaboration with more than 900 independent public radio stations nationwide, NPR strives to create a more informed public - one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas and cultures.
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