FA16 Immunization Module’s Updates

Are media and the internet to blame for vaccine hesitancy?

Are media and the internet to blame for vaccine hesitancy?

It is fairly common knowledge these days that vaccinations, and more importantly the stigma associated with them, is a matter of intense debate. Coming from a scientific background, I have always found the concept of anti-vaccination (outside of legitimate health concerns) to be incredibly troubling. The fact that cases of vaccine-preventable diseases in the US have continued to be traced to children exempt from normal immunization requirements demonstrates both how important immunizations actually are, and how failure to maintain vaccinations even in a small population can compromise herd immunity.1-3 With this in mind, the question I have always asked is why in our current society does the view that vaccines are dangerous continue to persist?

One article that I found of particular interest concerning this subject looks at the role of mass media and the internet as catalysts for the increasing resistance against vaccinating children.4 When comparing the scientific view of vaccines, appropriate testing must first be conducted and reviewed before being communicated to the public. However, in the event that the public is made aware of a “potential problem” there is no vetting or review process. In such cases this negative view of vaccines can be released directly to the court of public opinion. Combined with the fact that “controversy sells,” media outlets are inclined to spread negative stories about vaccines even if the science behind them has not been substantiated. One such example cited in this article was a case where a family received a settlement after claiming that their child’s vaccinations had lead to autism, even though her condition was more likely a result of a mitochondrial enzyme defect.5

It is interesting to consider that the massively increased role which media and the internet plays in our daily lives might be leading factors in how our society views vaccinations. A logical conclusion then is that these same lines of communication can be used to help educate the public about the importance of vaccinations, as well as dispel some of the rumors which lead to hesitancy in vaccinating children. Indeed, the Opel article gives suggestions for setting up marketing strategies to use social and general media to increase health literacy amongst the public, at least as far as vaccinations are concerned.

References:

1) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Outbreak of measles—San Diego, California, January-February 2008. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2008;57 (8) 203- 206

2) Olson  R South Whidbey's unvaccinated spur pertussis outbreak. Whidbey News Times. July21 2008

3) Parker  AAStaggs  WDayan  GH  et al.  Implications of a 2005 measles outbreak in Indiana for sustained elimination of measles in the United States. N Engl J Med 2006;355 (5) 447- 455

4) Opel DJ, Diekema DS, Lee NR, Marcuse EK. Social Marketing as a Strategy to Increase Immunization Rates. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(5):432-437.

5) Offit  PA Vaccines and autism revisited—the Hannah Poling case. N Engl J Med 2008;358 (20) 2089- 2091

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  • Hannah Stein
  • Phu Huynh
  • Umangi Patel
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