Parental attitudes and decisions regarding MMR vaccination during an outbreak of measles among an undervaccinated Somali community in Minnesota

Ben Christianson, Fatuma Sharif-Mohamed, Jennifer Heath, Margaret Roddy, Lynn Bahta, Hinda Omar, Todd Rockwood, Cynthia Kenyon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Incidence of measles is increasing in the US, largely due to transmission among growing unvaccinated communities. To elucidate predictors of parental decision to obtain measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for unvaccinated children during a measles outbreak, we surveyed families among a vaccine-hesitant Somali community in Minnesota. The survey assessed attitudes and beliefs about MMR vaccine, motivators for vaccinating, and intention to vaccinate future children on time. Among 300 families surveyed, 95% vaccinated their child with MMR due to fear of measles. The predominating parental concern about MMR vaccine (71%) was a fallacious presumed connection between vaccination and autism. Only 41% of parents intended to vaccinate future children on time with MMR; parents who received recommendations for MMR vaccination from multiple sources were more likely than other parents to intend to do so. These findings support the importance of diverse outreach efforts to increase vaccine coverage among undervaccinated communities.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)6979-6984
Number of pages6
JournalVaccine
Volume38
Issue number45
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 21 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

  • Immunization
  • Measles
  • Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine
  • Vaccine

PubMed: MeSH publication types

  • Journal Article

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