Teens Without Vaccines
One take-home message of this study is that there is still room to improve on our vaccine recommendations. It is possible that parents did not remember discussions about these vaccines when they completed the telephone survey, but it is a little disappointing that the percentage of parents who remembered that their clinician recommended a particular vaccine topped out at approximately 50%. Darden and colleagues emphasized that the discussions that we have with parents and teens may need to be very different with respect to HPV and that we need to address, up front, concerns about safety and side effects and the fact that adolescents should receive this vaccine even if they are not yet sexually active. Given the misinformation out there about vaccine safety, it is difficult for parents to navigate these decisions. With that in mind, it is worth reminding readers about the Immunization Action Coalition, which has excellent advice for providers on how to have these difficult discussions with parents and teenagers and patient-oriented materials that summarize the data that address parental concerns about certain vaccines, such as potential links between vaccination and autism. Furthermore, the American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirmed their policy statement, Responding to Parents Who Refuse Immunization for Their Children.
Abstract
Viewpoint
One take-home message of this study is that there is still room to improve on our vaccine recommendations. It is possible that parents did not remember discussions about these vaccines when they completed the telephone survey, but it is a little disappointing that the percentage of parents who remembered that their clinician recommended a particular vaccine topped out at approximately 50%. Darden and colleagues emphasized that the discussions that we have with parents and teens may need to be very different with respect to HPV and that we need to address, up front, concerns about safety and side effects and the fact that adolescents should receive this vaccine even if they are not yet sexually active. Given the misinformation out there about vaccine safety, it is difficult for parents to navigate these decisions. With that in mind, it is worth reminding readers about the Immunization Action Coalition, which has excellent advice for providers on how to have these difficult discussions with parents and teenagers and patient-oriented materials that summarize the data that address parental concerns about certain vaccines, such as potential links between vaccination and autism. Furthermore, the American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirmed their policy statement, Responding to Parents Who Refuse Immunization for Their Children.
Abstract