Well-educated parents fear vaccinations

THE majority of parents who are reluctant to have their children immunised are well-educated, high-income parents who are influenced by the media and internet, according to a study.

Before the study results emerged, it was generally believed that poor vaccination rates were largely influenced by lower education and low income, bad access to transport links and lack of knowledge of vaccines.

However, the North West’s childhood immunisation research study revealed knowledge of immunisation was equal between those who completed vaccinations and those who only partly completed or didn’t even begin vaccinations. The report also showed that four-fifths of both groups got advice on immunisation from health professionals and so could not be described as ill-informed.