More Children Receive Vaccines Recommended By CDC For 11-12 Year Olds In “Blue States,” Study Suggests.

reports 11-12 year olds were more likely to receive the HPV, Tdap, and MCV4 vaccines in “blue states,” according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers found that children in states that leaned Democratic in the 2012 election were more likely to receive the vaccines, which are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, than children in states that leaned Republican during that election. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-vaccination-teens-politics-idUSKCN1152N2 The researchers adjusted for factors that could influence vaccination patterns, including income, education, race and ethnicicty and insurance coverage. Then they calculated the median vaccination rates among blue and red states – meaning half of states had rates above the median for their group. “We hypothesized there would be differences for HPV, a sexually transmitted infection, perhaps due to social conservatism found in many Republican states,” Niccolai said. “But we also found differences for MCV4 and Tdap, suggesting something else, perhaps related to political affiliation more broadly, that is important.” Preference for a smaller role of government in personal decision making, typically associated with more Republican views, could lead to individuals rejecting vaccinations that are recommended by federal agencies, she said. But this study alone can’t explain why differences exist between states.