Collective immunity in the age of individualism: exploring arguments of vaccination opponents

Abstract

Background: Decreasing vaccination rates pose a significant challenge for public health. One of the principal reasons is thought to be effective campaigning by anti-vaccination groups. Following up on earlier research into vaccination promotion our objective was to interview vaccination opponents to explore their arguments. Methods: We conducted 14 individual interviews with people who refused vaccination of their children. Participants were recruited using the snowball sampling technique. Data were transcribed, coded and analysed using Thematic Analysis. Findings: The dominating theme tends to be individualism. Motivation not to vaccinate is often linked to deliberate free-riding on collective immunity while avoiding side-effects in own children. Another prevailing theme is mistrust toward medical professionals and authorities in general. Arguments of vaccination opponents could be grouped into the following categories: harmful vaccination side-effects, corporate greed of pharmaceutical companies, and doubtful efficiency of vaccination (e.g. claiming that vaccine preventable diseases were eradicated by changes in sanitation and lifestyle, not by vaccination) Discussion: Anti-vaccination discourse combines perceptions and conspiracy with fears and doubts. Many narratives however include rational questions which seem to remain unanswered. Addressing these questions may help to increase the update of child vaccination.