Hesitancy surrounding COVID-19 vaccines appears to be influencing parents’ decisions to forgo other critical childhood immunizations, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, US News & World Report reports.
According to a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health, children of parents who declined the COVID-19 vaccine are approximately 25% less likely to receive the MMR vaccine.
Public health officials are expressing alarm at the potential resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, a highly contagious and potentially severe illness. Last year, the United States reported 16 measles outbreaks, a significant increase compared to just four in 2023, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“In the United States, we are experiencing a concerning resurgence of childhood vaccine-preventable diseases,” said Dr. Ben Rader, a computational epidemiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital. “Our research suggests that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has fueled increasing MMR vaccine hesitancy, leaving children more vulnerable to highly contagious and life-threatening illnesses like measles.”
The study analyzed responses from nearly 20,000 parents of children under five years old, collected between July 2023 and April 2024. The findings revealed significant differences in MMR vaccination rates based on parental attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines.
- Among children of parents who received at least one COVID-19 shot, 81% had received the MMR vaccine.
- For children of parents who declined the COVID-19 vaccine, the rate dropped to just under 61%.
The study highlighted several factors influencing childhood vaccination decisions:
- Political affiliation: Republican parents were 27% less likely to have their children vaccinated with the MMR vaccine compared to Democratic parents.
- Geographic variation: MMR vaccination rates were highest in the Midwest and Northeast and lower in the South and West.
- Insurance type: Parents on Medicare or Medicaid were about 15% less likely to vaccinate their children compared to those with private insurance.
Researchers emphasize the importance of addressing vaccine hesitancy to prevent outbreaks of diseases like measles.
“Addressing these disparities, through equitable access and fostering trust and transparency in vaccine safety, is key to protecting children from preventable diseases,” said Eric Zhou, lead researcher and pediatrics instructor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Public health initiatives will need to combat misinformation and build confidence in vaccines to reverse the decline in childhood immunization rates. With the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on public attitudes toward vaccines, researchers and officials agree that proactive measures are critical to safeguarding children’s health.
For more information, the CDC offers resources on measles outbreaks and vaccination guidelines.
