3 Religious reasons are distinct from other cited reasons in that they are generally linked to the core beliefs of the parents, and it is very difficult to dissuade these individuals from views against immunization. With only 4 states not offering exemptions to families for this reason, it poses a major obstacle to those seeking to increase childhood vaccination rates. One of the most common reasons parents offer for choosing not to vaccinate their children stems from their religious beliefs. This will better enable healthcare personnel to provide the education and awareness that patients' families need to make responsible immunization choices. The purpose of this article is to equip pharmacists and other healthcare providers with an understanding of the most heavily cited reasons that influence parents not to vaccinate their children. These categories are religious reasons, personal beliefs or philosophical reasons, safety concerns, and a desire for more information from healthcare providers. Reasons expressed by parents vary widely but can be classified into 4 overarching categories. In one such study, 5 77% of parents polled reported having concerns about one or more childhood vaccinations. There have been a number of studies examining the reasons why parents refuse, delay, or are hesitant to vaccinate their children ( Table). 3 States that have more lenient laws on vaccination requirements also have an increased rate of exemptions granted this can lead to greater vulnerability in the population in terms of contracting preventable diseases. Additionally, there are 30 states that allow exemptions for children whose parents cite religious reasons and 18 states that make special accommodations for those expressing philosophical reasons. 3 All 50 states allow medical exemptions for certain patients, such as those who are immune compromised or allergic to various vaccine components. Although there are no federal laws regarding vaccine administration, each state has laws in place dictating which vaccinations are required for children prior to entering schools. 1, 2 Vaccines play a vital role in preventing diseases in children, so it is crucial that pharmacists and other healthcare professionals understand the reasons that parents are hesitant or refuse to vaccinate their children. “Vaccine hesitancy” is a relatively new term used in research over the past few years to describe anyone who is doubtful about vaccinations or who chooses to delay or refuse immunizations even when they are readily available. Education is a key player in equipping parents with the necessary information so that they can make responsible immunization decisions for their children. For this reason, it can be helpful for pharmacists and other healthcare providers to understand the cited reasons for hesitancy so they are better prepared to educate their patients' families. A large subset of parents admits to having concerns and questions about childhood vaccinations. Parental concerns about vaccines in each category lead to a wide spectrum of decisions varying from parents completely refusing all vaccinations to only delaying vaccinations so that they are more spread out. The 4 categories are religious reasons, personal beliefs or philosophical reasons, safety concerns, and a desire for more information from healthcare providers. These reasons vary widely between parents, but they can be encompassed in 4 overarching categories. A number of studies have looked into the reasons that parents refuse, delay, or are hesitant to vaccinate their child(ren). Parental refusal of vaccines is a growing a concern for the increased occurrence of vaccine preventable diseases in children.
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