In recent years, while vaccine-preventable disease levels have fallen to all-time lows, news reports of growing parental concerns about vaccines are multiplying. Vaccinations have proven themselves the most effective strategy to prevent and ameliorate many diseases, but, at the same time, states around the U.S., including Oregon, have observed that parent-requested exemptions for personal reasons to state-required immunizations at school entry have increased. Our long-range goal is to understand barriers that stand in the way of vaccination in order to improve vaccination rates and decrease disease. Our short-range goal is to understand more completely parent-signed immunization exemptions.
Funded under CDC Grant # 1 UO1 IP000031-01

• Identifying Communities in Patterns of Exemptions to School Immunizations (Powerpoint)
• Fence Sitters: What do we know about those considering exemption? (Powerpoint)
• Facilitators or Accommodators: The role of providers in immunization decision-making within high exemption communities (poster)

• American Public Health Association  

The Community Vaccination Survey (CVS)was developed to understand what parents believe about vaccines and what differences exist between exemptors and non-exemptors. The survey was a joint effort of the Jackson County Health Department, the Ashland School District,and the Oregon Immunization Program. The survey was sent in October of 2002 to a sample of parents with children enrolled in an Ashland School District grade or middle school.

Executive Summary

Final Report

Press Release October 1, 2003