Study Aim
Vaccination is a vital program that necessitates priority for the success of the future generation. Consequently, the compulsory vaccination study conducted aimed at ascertaining the sociodemographic factors, vaccine beliefs, behaviors that hindered children vaccination. Additionally, the mentioned study intended to establish whether a philosophical exemption was a contributing factor.Population/patient
Apparently, the sample population included parents with children below 18 years. The specified parent sample was 1,540. Nonetheless, consequently to the missing data, 13 parents were not classified as either supportive or opposed to compulsory vaccination. Thereby, making the ultimate weighted subsample; 1,527. Prevalently, concerning classification, 12% of the highlighted weighted subsample equivalent to 188 parents, opposed vaccination for school entry (Kennedy et al, 2005).Intervention
Sociodemographic factors explicitly revealed that ethnic diversity was a major contribution to opposing compulsory vaccination. Notably, myriad African Americans compared to the whites were likely to oppose the program. Vaccine beliefs coupled with societal behaviors were hindrance to compulsory vaccination. Categorically, regarding vaccine safety combined with utility, a superior proportion of opposed parents compared to supportive parents believed that vaccines were unsafe (Klevens & Luman, 2001).
Control
Small sample size of opposed parents; 188, were selected. Selection done included two groups of parents. For instance, parents with extreme positive attitude towards vaccination were compared with parents’ negative attitudes. Also, behavior was accessed by comparing parent's self-reported intention to vaccinate their youngest children. Moreover, comparison of states that allowed philosophical exemptions, effectively conducted with states that insisted on entire compulsory vaccination (Klevens & Luman, 2001).Outcome
The survey revealed that opposed parents were extensively different from supportive parents regarding ethnicity, household size and household income. Moreover, a considerable opposition emerged from availability of philosophical exemption. Parents opposing compulsory vaccination vehemently questioned the safety and utility of the vaccines. Consequently, opposing parents had most of their children unvaccinated (Kennedy et al, 2005).Study Hypothesis
The survey, therefore, revealed that if opposing parents maintained the stand against compulsory vaccination, then myriad preventable infections would emerge. Additionally, if philosophical exemptions would be effectively permitted among all states, then the health pattern of the mentioned states would deteriorate.
References
Kennedy, A. M., Brown, C. J., & Gust, D. A. (2005). Public Health Reports. Vaccine Beliefs of Parents who Oppose Compulsory Vaccination, 120, 252-258.
Klevens, R. M., & Luman, E. T. (2001). United States Children Living in and Near Poverty. Risk of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, 20, 55-60.
