Understanding the Roots of Vaccine Hesitancy Among Parents

After two decades researching parental choices about vaccines, I have encountered a small minority of parents who categorically refuse all vaccinations for their children. Some believe vaccines are unsafe or unnecessary, or that diseases like polio disappeared without vaccination efforts. Others have likened vaccines to harmful toxins. Nonetheless, the group rejecting every vaccine is very limited in size and unlikely to pose a significant threat to community health.

A more prevalent and less addressed challenge is the substantial number of parents who do not see themselves as anti-vaccine yet frequently delay or selectively accept vaccinations for their children.

Even prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, approximately 25 to 33 percent of American parents postponed vaccines or chose specific ones based on their perceived risk of disease. Many tailor vaccine schedules individually for each child, balancing perceived benefits and risks according to their personal judgments.

These parents often trust their own assessment over expert recommendations. However, this results in children missing timely immunizations during critical periods of vulnerability to infection, increasing the potential for disease spread.

The rise in vaccine hesitancy in the United States may seem perplexing or irrational to those confident in vaccination decisions. Yet, the trend is consistent with a broader cultural emphasis on personal responsibility for health and the view of illness as a consequence of individual choices.

Many parents rejecting or delaying vaccines are, paradoxically, following contemporary expert guidance. Parenting literature and specialists increasingly encourage mothers to trust their instincts and expertise about their children starting during pregnancy. This aligns with public health messaging that has shifted focus from collective environmental improvements to individual behavior changes such as diet and exercise. Similarly, some health initiatives promote personal health empowerment through technology and nutrition.