Parents questioning immunization: evaluation of an intervention.
OBJECTIVE
To compare attitudes of parents who filed or considered filing an exemption to school immunization requirements and/or would not have their child immunized if it were not required by law (cases) to controls. To develop and evaluate a brochure intervention for parents considering an exemption.


METHODS
Interviews, focus groups, mailed surveys.


RESULTS
Cases had more negative attitudes about vaccines than controls did. Although the brochure did not significantly improve parents' immunization attitudes compared to controls, most parents who received the intervention reported a positive impression.


CONCLUSIONS
A science-based educational intervention for parents considering a vaccine exemption may help improve parents' opinions of childhood vaccines.
Gust
Deborah A
DA
National Center for Immunaizations and Respiratory Diseases, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. dgust@cdc.gov
Kennedy
Allison
A
Weber
Deanne
D
Evans
Geoff
G
Kong
Yuan
Y
Salmon
Daniel
D
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010174:Pamphlets; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult