The Harris Poll conducted a recent online survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults on behalf of the American Osteopathic Association and showed that more than two in five American adults (45 percent) say something has caused them to doubt vaccine safety.
Rachel Shmuts, DO, a perinatal psychiatrist explained that the spread of negative attitudes towards vaccines is a phenomenon deeply rooted in human psychology and amplified by social media. She further noted that from an evolutionary perspective, humans are primed to pay attention to threats or negative information. Consequently, it makes sense that individuals hold onto fears that vaccines are harmful, mainly when they believe their children are in danger.
Also, in the study, it asked Americans to choose a statement that best represented their feelings about vaccines safety and efficacy. Though the majority of the people, about 82 percent, chose in favor of vaccines, 8 percent selected responses expressing serious doubt. An additional 9 percent indicated that they were uncertain.
According to physicians, those small margins can cause significant damage to public health if the doubts result in more unvaccinated individuals. Paul Ehrmann, DO, an osteopathic family physician stated that some diseases like measles require as much as 95 percent of the population to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity. Their practice considers itself a steward of public health, so they do not take new patients who refuse to vaccinate.
Dr. Shmuts explained that though social media has helped spread misinformation about vaccines, it has not been effective for countering those claims, even with scientific research. She noted further that confirmation bias, the tendency to trust new information that bolsters existing beliefs and discredit information that challenges those beliefs, makes it hard to convince someone that vaccines are safe, effective, and necessary once they believe they are not.
Dr. Shmuts said that the figure of individuals who believe vaccines are dangerous and refuse to get them is still relatively low. Online support groups, however, appear to solidify their beliefs, making them less susceptible to influence from their neighbors and real-world communities.
In the mid-2000s, Michigan discontinued public education for vaccines and allowed for medical, religious, and philosophical exemptions for vaccination, making the state accommodating to anti-vaxxers. By 2015, Michigan ranked 44th in the country for the number of vaccinated children 19 months to 35 months. In 2017, however, the state launched a public health along with other partners, which significantly enhanced vaccination rates across demographics.
Dr. Ehrmann concluded that beliefs are hard to change, mainly when they are based on fear. But being responsible for their patients' health and the public's health, they can't afford to give in to those fears. They must insist on evidence-based medicine.
