Childhood Vaccine Refusal by Immigrant Groups

Vaccine refusal in specific immigrant communities (e.g., measles, mumps, rubella vaccine refusal among Somali families in Minnesota) leads to increased risk for outbreaks of vaccine-preventable disease. The extent of vaccination refusal among various immigrant communities is largely unknown.

Researchers retrospectively studied Washington State's vaccine registry to compare vaccination rates between children of immigrant parents (at least one parent born in Somalia, Ukraine, Russia, Mexico, or India) and children of two U.S.-born parents. Records of children born between 2008 and 2013 were assessed for receipt of at least one dose of measles-containing vaccine; diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis (DTaP)-containing vaccine; hepatitis A (H…