Parent Education May Be a Risk Factor for Measles and other Vaccine Preventable Childhood Diseases

by Elisa (EJ) Sobo

We may not be able to legislate a shift in parenting style, or to mitigate the income gap that provides some with more privilege than others, including access to higher education. But we can build a strong national curriculum for information and scientific literacy into all bachelor’s programs. Doing so may be one of the soundest public health investments we can make.

---

“Nothing screams ‘privilege’ louder than ostentatiously refusing something that those less privileged wish to have.” So writes Dr. Amy Tuteur in a provocative piece regarding “anti-vaccine” parents.

Yet, the recent Disneyland measles outbreak wasn’t driven simply by “conspicuous non-consumption.” Privilege may be necessary to vaccine refusal or delay, but it isn’t sufficient. The minor trend toward non-vaccination among tiny subgroups of the elite that fueled it may actually be (in part) an artifact of exceptionally high self-confidence rather than simply privilege. Let me explain by telling you about two research projects.
Continue reading Parent Education & Vaccine Preventable Diseases →