|
|
Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
1) By the end of the presentation participants will be able to anticipate parents'concerns about the safety and necessity of hepatitis B vaccination.
2) By the end of the presentation participants will be able to counter misinformation about HBV infection and hepatitis B vaccine disseminated by anti-vaccine websites.
Background:
Experts estimate that one billion people are online in 2005. The Internet is a popular source of health information; however, many websites include misinformation that can cause parents to doubt the safety and efficacy of vaccination. The fact that HBV is transmitted in the United States primarily through sex contact and drug use makes the hepatitis B vaccine a prime target for anti-vaccine propaganda.
Methods:
Search for information about the hepatitis B vaccine in the same manner as a parent, using an Internet search engine. Examine the websites discovered as a result of the search, and catagorize the types of misinformation found about HBV and the hepatitis B vaccine. Counter the misinformation with facts from CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis and other reliable organizations.
Results:
Arguments against hepatitis B vaccination include HBV infection is not common in the U.S.; HBV transmission only occurs among adults with lifestyle risks; hepatitis B vaccine causes autoimmune and neurological diseases, SIDS, and brain damage; hepatitis B vaccine causes deaths that are not reported to VAERS; hepatitis B is not really a serious disease and/or can be cured by natural methods; hepatitis B vaccination is mandated to maximize profits for the manufacturers; and parents are often penalized and threatened for refusing “forced vaccination” of their newborn.
Conclusions:
A parent looking for information about hepatitis B immunization on the Internet is likely to encounter much misinformation. Those providing immunization services need to know what parents might be reading on the Internet and be able to provide answers and alternative resources.
See more of J2 - Hepatitis on the Internet: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
See more of The 2005 National Viral Hepatitis Prevention Conference