Study examines sources of information among parents of vaccinated and unvaccinated children

A recent poll conducted by the COVID States Project found a significant disparity among information sources between parents with and without vaccinated children.

The survey included two distinct question types (list selection and open-ended questions) and was distributed around the country to approximately 22,234 people between March and April this year. The findings revealed that parents of vaccinated children were more likely to take advice from health care professionals compared to parents of unvaccinated children. According to the survey, the latter group often cited individual research and information from relatives when making their decisions. 

The COVID States Project is an organization of researchers from universities including Northwestern, Harvard, Northeastern and Rutgers that specialize in a multitude of statistical and social sciences. James Druckman, Payson S. Wild Professor of Political Science at Weinberg, was one of these researchers working with the consortium who helped develop the poll. 

According to the professor, “The results show the crucial role of health care professionals in passing along consensus scientific information. The challenge is how to ensure more parents gain access to such advice, particularly if they are not apt to see it on their own.”

Learn more about the study in Northwestern Now’s article, “Parents cite news and government as top sources for child vaccine info.”