A recent NY Times editorial by the lead author of a provocative study in Pediatrics (Published online March 3, 2014  (doi: 10.1542/peds.2013-2365) argues that educational efforts to inform parents may not improve vaccination rates in children.

Here’s a link: http://nyti.ms/1sq4X2s  and here’s an excerpt:

“we found that parents with mixed or negative feelings toward vaccines actually became less likely to say they would vaccinate a future child after receiving information debunking the myth that vaccines cause autism.

Surprising as this may seem, our finding is consistent with a great deal of research on how people react to their beliefs being challenged. People frequently resist information that contradicts their views, such as corrective information— for example, by bringing to mind reasons to maintain their belief — and in some cases actually end up believing it more strongly as a result….

A more promising approach would require parents to consult with their health care provider, as the Oregon law also allows them to do. Parents name their children’s doctor as their most trusted source of vaccine information. That trust might allow doctors to do what evidence alone cannot: persuade parents to protect their children as well as yours and mine.

Related blog posts:

• “Too many vaccines and autism” is debunked | gutsandgrowth
• Why Doctors Don’t Want Unvaccinated Children in Their …
• The Paradox of Vaccine Resistance | gutsandgrowth
• Why Rich Kids Get Measles More Often in the U.S.