Jessica R Cataldi1, Amanda F Dempsey2, Mandy A Allison3, Sean T O'Leary4. 1. Department of Pediatrics, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado Denver, 13123 East 16th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. Electronic address: Jessica.cataldi@ucdenver.edu. 2. Adult and Child Consortium for Outcomes Research and Delivery Science (ACCORDS), University of Colorado Denver, 13199 East Montview Blvd, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. Electronic address: Amanda.dempsey@ucdenver.edu. 3. Adult and Child Consortium for Outcomes Research and Delivery Science (ACCORDS), University of Colorado Denver, 13199 East Montview Blvd, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. Electronic address: mandy.allison@ucdenver.edu. 4. Department of Pediatrics, Section of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado Denver, 13123 East 16th Avenue, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Adult and Child Consortium for Outcomes Research and Delivery Science (ACCORDS), University of Colorado Denver, 13199 East Montview Blvd, Aurora, CO 80045, USA. Electronic address: sean.oleary@ucdenver.edu.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Several states require schools and child cares to report vaccination rates, yet little is known about the impact of these policies. Our objectives were to assess: (1) predicted impact of vaccination rates on school/child care choice, (2) differences between vaccine hesitant and non-hesitant parents, and (3) differences by child's age. METHODS: In 2016, a cross-sectional email survey of Colorado mothers with children ≤12 years old assessed value of vaccination rates in the context of school/child care choice. A willingness-to-pay framework measured preference for schools/child cares with different vaccination rates using tradeoff with commute time. RESULTS: Response rate was 42% (679/1630). Twelve percent of respondents were vaccine hesitant. On a scale where 1 is "not important at all" and 4 is "very important" parents rated the importance of vaccination rates at 3.08. Respondents (including vaccine-hesitant respondents) would accept longer commutes to avoid schools/child cares with lower vaccination rates. Parents of child-care-age children were more likely to consider vaccination rates important. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows parents highly value vaccination rates in the context of school and child care choice. Both hesitant and non-hesitant parents are willing to accept longer commute times to protect their children from vaccine-preventable diseases.
OBJECTIVE: Several states require schools and child cares to report vaccination rates, yet little is known about the impact of these policies. Our objectives were to assess: (1) predicted impact of vaccination rates on school/child care choice, (2) differences between vaccine hesitant and non-hesitant parents, and (3) differences by child's age. METHODS: In 2016, a cross-sectional email survey of Colorado mothers with children ≤12 years old assessed value of vaccination rates in the context of school/child care choice. A willingness-to-pay framework measured preference for schools/child cares with different vaccination rates using tradeoff with commute time. RESULTS: Response rate was 42% (679/1630). Twelve percent of respondents were vaccine hesitant. On a scale where 1 is "not important at all" and 4 is "very important" parents rated the importance of vaccination rates at 3.08. Respondents (including vaccine-hesitant respondents) would accept longer commutes to avoid schools/child cares with lower vaccination rates. Parents of child-care-age children were more likely to consider vaccination rates important. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows parents highly value vaccination rates in the context of school and child care choice. Both hesitant and non-hesitant parents are willing to accept longer commute times to protect their children from vaccine-preventable diseases.