Parents’ Vaccine Beliefs: A Study of Experiences and Attitudes among Parents of Children in Private Pre-Schools

摘要

Even among highly vaccinated populations such as Rhode Island (RI), there exists a vulnerability to dis- ease outbreaks. This is the basis for requiring proof of immunization for enrollment into school. Although RI grants medical, temporary, and religious vaccination ex- emptions, little is known about the beliefs of RI parents who seek exemptions for their children. The purpose of this small-scale, cross-sectional, Web-based survey is to describe the vaccine behaviors and beliefs of parents of children attending private pre-school in Providence, RI. In spite of limitations, the results provided the intend- ed baseline assessment of the target population. While such findings should be interpreted with caution, they can be used as the foundation for future research and interventions.