MILLENNIALS AND VACCINATION

Transcription

1 BIEL RESEARCH & COMMUNICATIONS MILLENNIALS AND VACCINATION FEBRUARY 2016 Presented by: Lucil Macwan Isabel Rejto Esmeralda Silva Bria Smith

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction...2 II. Background...2 About the American Academy of Pediatrics About Immunizations III. SWOT Analysis...5 IV. Informational Needs...8 V. Pre-Interview Details...11 Topic & Research Goals Overarching Research Questions Method & Sampling VI. In-Depth Interview Details...12 Interviewee Details Environment Interview Analysis Progress Towards Research Questions VII. Survey Summary...17 Research Topic & Questions Survey Plans VIII. Survey Analysis...18 IX. Survey Data Analysis...21 X. Survey Reflection...23 XI. New Research...25 XII. Appendix 1: New Survey...27 XIII. Appendix 2: Original Survey...30 XIV. Appendix 3: Interview Guide...33 XV. Bibliography...36 MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 1

3 I. INTRODUCTION Over the past several decades, science has continued to prove that vaccines work, but there still continues to be parents who are skeptical about their effectiveness and necessity. Despite the benefits of vaccines and becoming immunized against diseases, there has been an increase in the negative stance towards vaccinations. Vaccinations are administered to protect people from diseases, and their safety and effectiveness are determined through comprehensive evaluation programs and approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Vaccines are continuously monitored after approval to ensure safe use. Whether or not to vaccinate is largely a topic discussed by parents, but where do Millennials stand regarding the issue? Our research team, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics, is working to determine the attitudes of Millennials regarding vaccines. Through research, our team hopes to better understand the origin of the negative stigma surrounding vaccines. II. BACKGROUND ABOUT THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is an organization committed to the wellbeing of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. The AAP is an organization of 64,000 pediatricians who advocate on state, federal and community levels by working to shape child health and safety issues. 1 Additionally, the AAP conducts long-term research programs to provide the best health care information to children; it is one of the longest running programs in 1 AAP. "About the AAP." About the AAP. American Academy of Pediatrics, n.d. Web. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 2

4 the US. The organization hosts several campaigns a year to highlight the importance of immunization; the two prominent ones include National Infant Immunization Week and National Immunization Awareness Month. ABOUT IMMUNIZATIONS Immunization of children is one of the most important health care services provided and is a cost-effective way to protect children and reduce the spread of infectious diseases. Immunizations have eliminated many infectious agents in the 20th century ranging from polio, smallpox, and measles. The table, below, highlights the decrease in morbidity rates in the 20th century compared to Diseases such as smallpox, diphtheria, congenital rubella syndrome and polio have been eradicated from the beginning of the 20th century to This eradication has saved the lives of those who received the vaccination for the disease as outbreaks were prevented. However, increasing amount of skepticism has arisen regarding the positive benefits that vaccinations have on providing children a healthy lifestyle. In our socially connected world where access to multiple media platforms is readily available, misinformation regarding vaccinations can spread 3. Unfortunately, flawed information on vaccinations creates public concern leading to increasing immunization refusal rates by families 4. Refusal rates have been fueled by the anti-vaccination movement. This movement is powered through poor science and 2 Schuchat, Anne. "Controlling Vaccine Preventable Diseases in the US and Global Immunization Efforts." (2012): n. pag. Hhs.gov. United States Department of Health and Human Services, 8 Feb Web. 3 Diekema, Douglas S. "Responding to Parental Refusals of Immunization of Children." AAP Gateway (2005): n. pag. Responding to Parental Refusals of Immunization of Children. American Academy of Pediatrics, May Web. 4 Market Research. Vaccines 2014: World Market Analysis, Key Players, Trends, Pediatric and Adult Segments." MarketResearch. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Feb MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 3

5 fear mongering and is rooted in the suspected correlation of the Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. Joining the movement are those who warn that mercury toxicity causes our illnesses 5. Millennials believe a parent, rather than a doctor, has the right to decide whether or not to vaccinate their child. According to a Pew Research Center study, 41% of respondents aged 18 to 29 say parents should choose whether or not to vaccinate. Additionally, only 20% of respondents over the age of 65 agree 6. As a result, it is the job of health care professionals to generate discussion about the benefits of immunization for children among parents who are critical of vaccinations. Immunization of children can provide a better quality of life. To better understand where our efforts should be focused to increase public awareness and reverse outside threats, a SWOT analysis is required. 5 Novella, Steven. "The Anti-Vaccination Movement." Skeptical Inquirer 31.6 (2007): n. pag. CSI: Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. CFI, Nov.-Dec Web 6 Sifferlin, Alexandra. "Millennials More Likely To Say Vaccines Are A Parent S Choice." Time.Com (2015): N.PAG. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Feb MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 4

6 III. SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS: The American Academy of Pediatrics pro-vaccine efforts are based off of a solid argument in favor of immunizations. Its strengths are seen through the definitive truths and benefits associated with vaccinations. Studies show numerous diseases and illnesses have been largely prevented and eradicated through the use of immunizations 7. Furthermore, the American Academy of Pediatrics has implemented several successful events and initiatives to raise awareness of the importance of vaccinations. These efforts include National Influenza Vaccination Week in December, and National Immunization Awareness Month in August 8. In addition to raising awareness through such efforts, the American Association of Pediatrics provides continuing educational resources. Such resources include education courses and seminars. WEAKNESSES: In the recent years the public s opinion of vaccinations has become increasingly negative. With rumors spreading of vaccines causing childhood autism among other negative side effects, worried parents have started to view immunizations through a negative and potentially harmful lens. Anti-vaccines arguments have created a large stigma attached to childhood immunization, resulting in parental refusal to vaccinate. As a result, preventable outbreaks have occurred. The CDC reported 118 outbreaks of the measles virus in New York City from January 1 to May 20, 7 AAP. "Advocacy & Policy." Advocacy & Policy. American Academy of Pediatrics, n.d. Web. 8 AAP. "Immunization Campaigns." Immunization Campaigns. American Academy of Pediatrics, Oct Web. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 5

7 2011. Of the total cases, 89% of the individuals were unvaccinated 9. Another weakness is the lack of awareness on the issue. The American Academy of Pediatrics, among other organizations, have worked diligently to educate Millennials on the benefits of vaccines, but their results have not been successful. A 2014 survey conducted by the Institute of Politics from Harvard, revealed Millennials have lost trust in authority figures. Trust in the President decreased from 39% to 32% from the previous year, trust in the military dropped from 54% to 47% and trust in the Supreme Court fell from 40% to 36%. Millennials are choosing to trust other sources of information. According to the same survey, user-generated content is 50% more reliable than traditional sources of media 10. Providing false information are bloggers and misinformed celebrities using their platforms to promote the anti-vaccine movement 11. If Millennials find user-generated content more reliable, they are likely to trust misinformed individuals online as opposed to the information provided by government agencies. OPPORTUNITIES: The American Academy of Pediatrics has the opportunity to expand its pro-vaccine efforts in the coming months. Furthermore, the American Academy of Pediatrics has the chance to increase their educational initiatives. The public has become aware of the presence of sporadic outbreaks linked to unvaccinated individuals, but skepticism remains high. In 2008 the U.S. experienced three substantial outbreaks of measles, 11 outbreaks in 2013 and 23 outbreaks in 9 CDC. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Rep. no. 20. Vol. 60. N.p.: CDC, Measles -- United States, January-May 20, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 May Web. 10 Henderson, J. Maureen. "Why Millennials Believe Vaccines Cause Autism." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 10 Feb Web. 11 Edelman, Alex. "Yes, Millennials Are 'dumbasses' for Being Scared of Vaccinations." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 10 Feb Web. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 6

8 The AAP has made strides in establishing immunization awareness programs and now has the opportunity to expand the reach of these programs 13. The larger debate over vaccinations has opened the door for pro-vaccine message targeting and planning. A 2014 study conducted by the AAP illustrates the need to revise pro-vaccine messages. The study asked a randomized group of parents representative of the population to be provided with information about the benefits of vaccines. As opposed to increasing the intent to vaccinate, the intent of some parents decreased. It is necessary for the AAP to review its messages and tailor them to a resistant and hesitant public 14. THREATS: The most harmful threat to the American Academy of Pediatrics is the increased antivaccine movement and a lack of education surrounding vaccines. Over the last few years, studies have shown an increase in the number of parents delaying or refusing vaccinations for their children. In 2009, roughly 39.8% of parents with newborns either refused, delayed or refused and delayed vaccinations 15. Those who delayed or refused to vaccinate were less likely to understand the safety and benefits of vaccines, compared to those who did not in the same year. Decreased education about vaccines has led to a decrease in vaccination rates. Spear-heading the antivaccine movement are uneducated bloggers and celebrities furthering their own agenda through 12 CDC. "Measles Cases and Outbreaks." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 08 Mar Web. 13 AAP. "Immunization Campaigns." Immunization Campaigns. American Academy of Pediatrics, Oct Web. 14 Nyhan, Brendan, Jason Reifler, Sean Richey, and Gary L. Freed. "Effective Messages in Vaccine Promotion: A Randomized Trial." AAP Gateway (2014): n. pag. Effective Messages in Vaccine Promotion: A Randomized Trial. American Academy of Pediatrics, Feb Web. 15 Smith, Philip J. et al.. Parental Delay or Refusal of Vaccine Doses, Childhood Vaccination Coverage at 24 Months of Age, and the Health Belief Model. Public Health Reports (1974-) 126 (2011): Web. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 7

9 their platforms of power. To reverse such an effect, healthcare providers should strive to better educate their patients through the American Academy of Pediatrics resources. IV. INFORMATIONAL NEEDS While vaccination continues to be a pertinent topic in today s culture, there are many aspects of the concept with which many are still unfamiliar. The topic has proved to be controversial to a large number of people, whether for political, ethical, or religious reasons. What we have yet to understand is why Millennials are choosing to reject the vaccination movement. The vast majority of them have been required to become vaccinated for a multitude MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 8

10 of diseases, so it is essential that we make sense of why they oppose vaccinating. According to a YouGov survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted in 2015, reported 21% of respondents believing vaccines caused autism. These respondents were young adults. The survey also relayed findings suggesting 32% believe parents should decide whether or not to vaccinate. This belief was in agreement with the views of young adults 16. In order to make strategic recommendations as an agency for the American Academy of Pediatrics, we will still have to obtain information regarding the youth s understanding of the vaccination controversy, as well as their opinion on the matter. In addition, we would also be interested in understanding why Millennials increasingly support the anti-vaccine movement. Although the secondary research that our agency has reviewed includes a number of valuable statistics on the benefits of vaccination, as well as how many parents have chosen to vaccinate their children, it is not enough to see the motives behind the decision to vaccinate or to avoid the option. The research strictly shows information about quantitative statistics, but it does not show the information-seeking behavior that is imperative for our efforts. If we find out how Millennials wish to handle the vaccination issue, we can ultimately figure out what how our agency can appeal to those Millennials in order to advance our campaign. As introduced before, the AAP s study on the effect of vaccine-positive messages backfired by decreasing the intent of parents to vaccinate. By this understanding, we can strive to advance our campaign with messages tailored to Millennials. This information will be incredibly important as we strive to gain more insight on the matter. 16 Lopez, German. "1 in 5 Millennials Think Vaccines Cause Autism." Vox. Vox, 31 Jan Web. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 9

11 In order to obtain this information, we will be conducting interviews and sending out surveys. When conducting our interviews, our questions will allow us to better understand how our target audience feels about the topic and what they need from our campaign. Our survey questions will ask survey takers the same information as interviewees, but ultimately, the interviews will be the most valuable. The survey results will be slightly biased because those who voluntarily take the survey are going to take it because they have a stronger opinion about it. For our survey, individuals will be asked the following questions: Are you vaccinated? What is your opinion on vaccinations? Whether you are for or against vaccinations, please explain why you have formed this opinion. What factors have helped to form your opinion on vaccinations? Do you think vaccinations should be a topic left out of public discourse? Why do you think that people are against vaccination? Our interviews will ask the same questions as the survey, but the administration of these questions may be different because we will be able to probe the responses of our interviewees. In addition to the questions listed above, they will also be asked questions like: What are some preexisting opinions you have about the vaccination movement and how did you come to think that way? What do you know about the benefits of vaccinations? These are only a couple of the potential questions that we will ask participants in order to gain a deeper understanding of the market s opinion on the topic. By asking these questions, we hope to understand why Millennials are choosing either to support or to be against vaccination. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 10

12 We can also understand and see if their opinion is only regarding themselves, or if it will dictate whether or not they vaccinate their children in the future. Ultimately, we are looking to see how Millennials are acting on the issue currently and how it will affect their actions long-term. By obtaining this information, we hope to better understand what Millennials think about vaccination, whether solely regarding themselves or regarding others. We hope to engage in a dialogue with our subjects so that we can learn the deeper motives behind their decisions and opinions on the issue. When we have acquired this information, our agency will be able to aid the American Academy of Pediatrics in creating a campaign to raise awareness on the issue and to spark dialogue across the country about vaccination. V. PRE-INTERVIEW DETAILS Topic and Research Goals The topic of vaccination has recently emerged as a popular topic of conversation in the media regarding its controversial nature. We are interested in discovering how millennials feel about vaccination in general, as well as their level of knowledge regarding vaccination, factors that influence their opinion, their reception of advertisements, and how their opinion of vaccination will influence their actions later on. Overarching Research Questions: How do millennials feel about vaccination? What are their perceptions on the concept? How have they arrived at their opinions and are they willing to change their opinions? Justification of Method and Sampling In-depth interviews have a multitude of advantages, ranging from logistical advantages to actual information advantages. In a one-on-one setting, it is much easier to build rapport with MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 11

13 your interviewee because you are able to give them your full attention and listen actively to each of their responses. Similarly, the interviewer is able to tailor the environment to the comfort of the interviewee at hand, which makes it easier to build a strong bond. In addition, a one-on-one interview offers less distractions that other methods, like a focus group, because there is not a chance that someone else will dominate or take away from the discussion. In-depth interviews are also more productive than other methods because you have the ability to probe for a deeper understanding of a given concept. By using an in-depth interview, we are able to get a deeper look into the reasoning and emotion behind the interviewee s responses. The flexibility and the in-depth interview itself is useful because it will help us to choose what types of questions we should ask in our surveys to get the most complete and accurate answers. For our interviews, the sampling was based off a mixture of voluntary, convenience, and quota sampling. We needed to choose someone who was going to be easy to reach and that would be able to fit into our schedules schedule. In addition, each interviewer needed to interview someone who fit into the type of individual our group is researching and analyzing, which are millennials. It was considered voluntary because each person who was interviewed chose to be interviewed because they were curious about the nature and purpose of the interview. VI. INTERVIEW DETAILS Personal Interviewee Details 19-Year-Old Male College Student o He is a Caucasian student studying mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 12

14 o When asked about previous knowledge of the topic, the interviewee said that he had little knowledge about vaccinations, except what he may have heard from the news, family, or medical providers. o Although he thinks people should be vaccinated, he does not feel very passionate about the topic and thinks it should ultimately be up to the individual to make the decision. o He believes that people should vaccinate themselves and their children because it benefits society as a whole. Middle-Aged Caucasian Female o She has a Master s degree in early childhood education and works as the superintendent of a large elementary school. o She is married and has two children. o She believes that Millennials get a lot of their information from the media nowadays when making important decision and believes that the media has caused many Millennials to wrongfully fear vaccinations. o She Thinks there needs to be a major reform in the way our government is handing the regulation of vaccination. o She is happy she is vaccinated and thinks it is a smart move to avoid disease. Hispanic Male Between 23 & 29 o The participant lives in an urban city where he is attending college and has lived in an urban environment his entire life. o He is single and lives with his family with plans of getting married in the future. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 13

15 o The participant is socially aware of current news, trends and topics of discussion and often frequents the internet to pass time. o The interviewee was less likely to trust a TV newscaster who transmits information in a boring way but is more receptive to a trusted YouTube personality who provides news updates through webisodes and has a social media presence to their viewers o The interviewee was familiar and possessed prior basic knowledge regarding vaccinations and their opinion overall regarding vaccinations is positive. o Believes vaccinations are something that you just do and everyone around the subject is vaccinated. Caucasian Male Between 20 & 26 o He is originally from Wisconsin but has been living in Chicago for numerous years now. o His background is in medical training from the Navy. o Seems to understand the benefits of vaccines and the importance of being vaccinated. o He has a wealth of knowledge on vaccines because of his naval training and service. Environment All interviews were conducted in a private, quiet environment. The only people present during the interview was the interviewee and the interviewer. The overall environment of the exchanges was relatively quiet, but the interviews were not awkward and the interviewees were calm and willing to express their opinions on the issue. We chose to conduct the interview in this MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 14

16 environment because we wanted to ensure the comfort of the interviewee. Each interview lasted thirty minutes or less and provided incredible insights into the topic of vaccinations. Interview Analysis We obtained a lot of insight from our four interviews. After reviewing and analyzing each interview report, our team has concluded that there are four distinct themes that the research team should investigate in future research. By getting more information on these themes, our team will be able to better understand how Millennials feel about vaccination. One theme that our research team would have to explore is how parents influence the opinions of their children because that was a recurring topic throughout the entire interview. Similarly, it would be essential to explore why millennials do not know about the benefits of vaccination, even though the vast majority of them are vaccinated themselves. Another recurring theme present in the interviews was how entertainment and news affects the perception of vaccinations among millennials. It would be beneficial to investigate further on how this shapes and influences opinion for vaccinations. It would be interesting to discover if the reasons behind the feelings for the advertisements and for the topic are similar for other members of the targeted research group. One of the interviewees also explained that she believes there needs to be a major reform in the way our government is handling the regulation of vaccinations. Because of this, our research team should further investigate how our government is handling this controversial issue. In each of the interviews, the interviewees expressed their feelings on those who either vaccinate or do not vaccinate. In order to better understand the underlying feelings about vaccination, it would be beneficial for the research team to further investigate the opinions provaccine individuals hold about anti-vaccine individuals. We also learned about the perceptions of MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 15

17 vaccinations and how the participant receives information about the topic. This helped us understand how people use media information to shape their knowledge about vaccinations. We also found out that Millennials think vaccinations are an important thing to make informed decisions about. However, we also learned that Millennials do not have a lot of information about vaccinations. Millennials are attentive to information about vaccinations, but we found that many Millennials are largely uneducated on the issue. Lastly, we learned that Millennials' opinions on vaccinations are mostly positive, with a small amount perceiving vaccinations as negative. We also received some surprising insights from our interviews. One thing that we had not realized before is that parents in the 1990 s were not aware of the fact that they had a choice about vaccinating their children. We were also surprised to see that some of the pro-vaccine participants were willing to respect other s right to make their own decision. Lastly, we were surprised about how much information on vaccinations some of the participants had going into our interview. Progress Towards Research Questions How do millennials feel about vaccination? o Through each of our interviews, we learned that millennials generally feel that vaccinations are important and that people should be vaccinated. Each of the people interviewed had different background on the matter. Some felt strongly about the topic because they dealt with it specifically, like in work or when they were serving, but the average students did not feel particularly passionate about it, they just felt that it was an important issue. What are their perceptions on the concept? o Many of the interviewees generally think that vaccination should be a common thing and that people should not have to think about doing it. For the educator, MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 16

18 vaccination is incredibly important because it ensures the safety of the children with which she works. For the navy veteran, maintaining one s vaccines is essential while on duty. His perception was formed by working with the Navy and by vaccinating individuals against diseases for over 6 years. The two students perceptions are particularly important in answering this question because they arguably possess the common ideology found among millennials. Their knowledge about vaccinations is at the base level, but despite this, they do believe that vaccination is beneficial for society as a whole. How have they arrived at their opinions and are they willing to change their opinions? o Each of the interviewees are vaccinated and have arrived at their opinions from personal experience. Because each interviewee has been vaccinated for one or more diseases, they have formed their opinions from their parents, who were the ones responsible for getting them vaccinated when they were children. VII. SURVEY SUMMARY Research Topic: How do millennials feel about vaccination and what influences their opinions? Research Questions: 1. How do millennials feel about vaccination? 2. How have they arrived at their opinions and are they willing to change their opinion? 3. Does the media affect people s decisions to vaccinate? MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 17

19 Survey Plans: 1. Method We chose to create a survey to reach a large database and to better target our audience. This survey allowed us to reach a larger number of people more efficiently than we would have been able to by simply interviewing people individually. 2. Sampling We used a combination of both convenience and random sampling within the confines of our target age group of millennials. We ed the survey to people we knew and posted it on social media, so we were only able to reach those who had access to the survey. 3. Looking forward If this survey were to be administered on a larger scale, we should reach millennials across the country. The majority of our responses from this survey came from the Midwest. If we were able to reach more of the nation, we could compare opinions in different parts of the country. 4. Administration We created this survey on Qualtrics and then each group member distributed the survey across their social media networks. This was a non-probability sample because those surveyed were chosen through convenience and were voluntary respondents. This method was very effective for our group and we received over 100 responses in the first two days. VIII. SURVEY ANALYSIS The variables we are measuring enable us to gain valuable insight into people s perception of vaccinations, specifically millennials and their relationship with the medical MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 18

20 practice. The survey was distributed via Facebook to individuals who were born between the years 1980 and Our reason for this method was to provide our team with more data. Most of our questions are generalized due to immunization and vaccinations being broad topics of discussion, however, we did specify in some areas. Variables: Public awareness Perception of vaccinations among millennials Influence of media, advertisements and public service announcements Vaccination Awareness (Q.1) Conceptual Definition: The variable public awareness can provide our team with insights regarding the degree of knowledge our target audience feel they have about vaccinations. By including this variable, our team can measure the level of awareness and their perception of vaccinations and compare to see if it has any influence. Q.1: How much would you say you know about vaccinations, in general? o This question allows our team to gauge the level of public awareness millennials have about vaccinations in general. Perception of vaccinations among millennials (Q.5) (Q.10) (Q.12) (Q.13) Conceptual Definition: The variable perception of vaccinations among millennials allows our team to measure the feelings and attitudes toward the topic of vaccinations among millennials born between the years Our questions address whether our target audiences perceived vaccination favorably or unfavorably. Q.5: Why do you think people get vaccinated? Check all that apply MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 19

21 o This question allows our team to determine the perception among millennials regarding why vaccination exists and why do people choose to receive vaccinations. Q.10: Hypothetically speaking, how would you feel if your child was in contact with another child who was not vaccinated? o This question assists our team in determining the genuine perception of vaccinations among millennials because it role-plays a situation that is personal to our target audience. Q.12: When you think of a person who is vaccinated or who has children who are vaccinated, what traits come to mind? Q.13: When you think of someone who has NOT vaccinated themselves or their children, what traits come to mind? o The above (Q.12) and (Q.13) allows our team to address the favorable and unfavorable perceptions of vaccinations among millennials. It gives us a better understanding if our target audience views those who vaccinate versus those who do not favorably or unfavorably based on the traits provided for each question. It is important to recognize if our target audience use positive word choices or negative words to describe traits. Influence of media, advertisements and public service announcements (Q.16) (Q.18) (Q.19) Conceptual Definition: The variable influence of media, advertisements and public service announcements gives our team an in depth understanding regarding the degree of trust our target audience has for various media types. With this we can also determine how much our target audience pays attention to advertisements and see if how their perceptions are formed. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 20

22 With this information we can measure the influence of media perceptions while also allowing our team to determine if vaccination awareness can be increased through a public service announcement via media. Q.16: How likely are you to trust the media for news and information? o This question helps our team to see if generally our target audiences trust the media regarding news and information. Q.18: What sources do you think are reliable for news and information? Check all that apply. o This question gives us valuable insight on what millennials think are reliable resources to receive news and information. It provides us with an overview of what trusted avenues of information that our target audience considers. Q.19: How often do you pay attention to advertisements? o By understanding if our target audience pays attention to advertisements and public service announcements we can have a better understanding on how our team can increase vaccination awareness among millennials. IX. SURVEY DATA ANALYSIS When creating our survey, our team wanted to ask questions that would focus on the attitude of millennials towards the practice of vaccination. Most of the students that were surveyed are in favor of vaccination and generally think that children should be vaccinated in order to keep society safe. Q4 asked survey-takers if they had ever received a vaccination, to which 96% of respondents answered yes. Similarly, Q7 blatantly asked survey-takers if they supported the practice of vaccination and 93% of respondents answered that they supported vaccination. This MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 21

23 shows that there is a very strong correlation between respondents who have received a vaccination and those who support vaccination. Many of the later questions in the survey are short response questions, which allow our team to read exactly how our respondents feel about a certain issue of how they will answer a certain question. This allows us to gain a deeper understanding of each individual. Q12 and Q. 13 asked survey takers think about people who are for and against vaccination and then respond with individual traits that come to mind when thinking of those people. This question allowed respondents to freely express their thoughts, which helps our team better under how each surveytaker personally felt about people who vaccinate and people who do not. Q12 asked respondents to list traits that came to mind when asked about people who are vaccinated or would vaccinate their children. All of the responses had positive traits listed. Of those listed, traits along the lines of educated, smart, and responsible were the most common. One respondent answered, I think they are well-informed with the infections/diseases they can catch, and they care about the safety of others, This shows our team that the population surveyed views that people who support vaccination in a positive light. There is a general thought of being intelligent and progressive associated with those who choose to vaccinate. Similar to Q12, Q13 asked respondents to list traits that came to mind when asked about people who are not vaccinated or do not vaccinate their children. These responses included traits that were on the complete opposite end of the spectrum of the responses in Q12. The majority of responses included traits like selfish, irresponsible, and closed-minded. The most cohesive of the responses was Aside from religious or medical reasons, I believe these people to be generally misinformed, alarmist, and helping to cultivate an atmosphere that is distrustful of medical science and other scientific fields in general. Responses similar to this one allows our team to MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 22

24 conclude that students who took the survey generally feel that those who do not vaccinate are uneducated and they generally do not agree with them. After analyzing each question in our survey, our team can conclude that there is generally a positive view on vaccination and that it should be the norm. Similarly, we can conclude from the results that students who took the survey do not agree with those who do not vaccinate and feel that is unsafe for society as a whole. Although we surveyed a small population parameter, we can use information gathered to move closer towards finding out how millennials as a whole feel about vaccination. X. SURVEY REFLECTION Were expectations met or different than expected? Overall, there was a general understanding of vaccines and their importance in society, which was the result we were expecting to receive. Question 4, asking whether or not the respondent has received a vaccination, was overwhelmingly answered yes. This was dissimilar to our preconception of the topic, as we believed fewer respondents would be vaccinated. Furthermore, the majority of respondents, 79%, declared they definitely support the practice of vaccinating. This result was dissimilar to what we expected, because we assumed there wouldn t be strong support for vaccinating. Additionally, 81% and 84% of respondents believe children should be vaccinated and would vaccinate their own children, respectively. When responding to traits of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, the responses were largely consistent. Rather than receive positive traits about unvaccinated individuals, the responses stated that unvaccinated individuals either need more education or are harming others. Seeing these responses were dissimilar to what we expected, we believed the anti-vaccine movement had gained momentum and was affecting the outlook millennials have on vaccines. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 23

25 Were the questions successful? The questions we asked were to elicit information about the perceptions of millennials in regard to vaccines and the practice of vaccinating. We started by asking about respondents knowledge regarding the topic and their experiences with vaccines. Question 5: why do you think people get vaccinated, contained an other text response option. This question could be revised to include the results obtained in that section, as 12% of respondents chose to provide their own answer. Responses include the protection of others, travel, stopping the spread of disease and protecting babies. Next, questions asking where respondents receive their information and their perceptions of vaccinating were straightforward and we received the information we hoped the questions would elicit. However, question 11 should be revised. It asks, do you think millennials, in general support vaccinations? (Millennial: people born between the years 1980 and 2000). Response categories include support, do not support and unsure. Fewer answered do not support, 10%, than unsure, 28%, leading us to conclude this question needs revision. A remedy would be to include this question as a skip pattern to a demographic question about the respondent. If the respondent is a Millennial, as defined, the question As a Millennial, do you support vaccinations? would follow. The last set of questions asked respondents about their use of media, for which the questions elicited the information we were aiming at. Conclusion The results of our survey allowed us to form three major conclusions. First, we were able to discern that the majority of the respondents had at least a moderate understanding of vaccinations, ensuring the topic was understood. Furthermore, the majority of respondents are aware of the benefits of vaccines and the necessary role vaccines have for society. Second, our results helped us understand the perceptions millennials have regarding vaccines. Overall, most MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 24

26 respondents would vaccinate in the future and do not hold reservations about vaccinations. Additionally, most respondents were not in favor of both adults and children who are not vaccinated. Third, our results helped us gauge the level of influence the media and advertisements have on the population. The majority of the respondents trust their healthcare provider over the media for information. A total of 70% of respondents would not trust the media, while 94% of respondents trust their healthcare provider. Reflection Conducting a survey using an online program allowed us to view the results comprehensively and allowed our research team to analyze the results. Launching and creating the survey itself were not difficult. We experienced difficulties in creating questions aimed at the information we were interested in, as well as the wording of the questions. The greatest challenge with wording was guaranteeing ease in understanding without biasing the results. Next time, we would want to spend more time asking questions in a skip pattern depending on the demographics of the respondent. In this scenario, demographic questions would determine if the respondent was a Millennial or not, and the following questions would be tailored to either category. XI. NEW RESEARCH There are a couple of variables that should be further researched on the topic of vaccinations. First, we would like to research what the government is doing to handle the antivaccination movement. We also would like to research how the media influences Millennial s opinions on vaccinations. Another important variable needing further research is parental influence on their children s vaccination decision. Lastly, we would like more research on how pro-vaccine parents feel about anti-vaccine parents, and vice versa. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 25

27 To obtain this new research we would like to propose two types of data collection. First, we would like to expand our previous survey efforts. By using our edited survey with a broader audience, we will be able to get a better understanding of how Millennials across the nation feel about vaccinations. We would also like to do a series of focus groups across the nation with people in our target age group. From these focus groups, we hope to more fully understand both sides of the vaccination debate amongst Millennials. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 26

28 XII. APPENDIX 1: REVISED SURVEY Vaccination Survey This survey is intended to gauge your understanding and knowledge base of vaccinations, your attitudes towards the topic and your opinions. Please consider the term "vaccination" to mean general vaccinations, not pertaining to any specific type of vaccine. Q1 How much would you say you know about vaccinations, in general? Nothing (1) A little (2) A moderate amount (3) A lot (4) A great deal (5) Q2 How passionate would you say you feel about this topic? Very passionate (1) Passionate (2) Neutral (3) Not much (4) Not at all (5) Q3 Do you believe that fewer people are choosing to vaccinate today? Yes (1) Maybe / Unsure (2) No (3) Q4 Have you ever received a vaccination (for example: measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis, small pox, etc.) Yes (1) No (2) Not sure (3) Q5 Why do you think people get vaccinated? Check all that apply. School/Work requirement (1) They have no choice (2) To avoid illness (3) Other (4) MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 27

29 Q6 Where do you get your information about vaccinations? Check all that apply. Medical Journals (1) News/Media Outlets (2) Friends and Family (3) Medical Providers (4) Other (5) Q7 Do you support the practice of vaccinating? Definitely yes (1) Probably yes (2) Might or might not (3) Probably not (4) Definitely not (5) Q8 Do you think that people should vaccinate their children? Definitely yes (1) Probably yes (2) Maybe / Unsure (3) Probably not (4) Definitely not (5) Q9 If you had a child, would you vaccinate them? Definitely yes (1) Probably yes (2) Might or might not (3) Probably not (4) Definitely not (5) Q10 Hypothetically speaking, how would you feel if your child was in contact with another child who was not vaccinated? Q11 Are you a Millennial? Yes (1) No (2) Q12 As a Millennial, do you support vaccinations? (Question only shows if the survey-taker answered Yes for Question 11) Yes (1) No (2) Q13 When you think of a person who is vaccinated or who has children who are vaccinated, what traits come to mind? MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 28

30 Q14 When you think of someone who has NOT vaccinated themselves or their children, what traits come to mind? Q15 Should religion have an influence on medical practices? Definitely yes (1) Probably yes (2) Might or might not (3) Probably not (4) Definitely not (5) Q16 Should vaccination be mandatory nation-wide? Definitely yes (1) Probably yes (2) Might or might not (3) Probably not (4) Definitely not (5) Q17 How likely are you to trust the media for news and information? Extremely likely (1) Likely (2) Neutral (3) Unlikely (4) Extremely unlikely (5) Q18 How likely are you to trust your healthcare provider for information on vaccinations? Extremely likely (1) Likely (2) Neutral (3) Unlikely (4) Extremely unlikely (5) Q19 What sources do you think are reliable for news and information? Check all that apply. Network News (1) Internet (2) Social Media (3) Word of mouth (4) Other (5) MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 29

31 Q20 How often do you pay attention to advertisements? Always (1) Most of the time (2) About half the time (3) Sometimes (11) Never (12) XIII. APPENDIX 2: ORIGINAL SURVEY Vaccination Survey This survey is intended to gauge your understanding and knowledge base of vaccinations, your attitudes towards the topic and your opinions. Please consider the term "vaccination" to mean general vaccinations, not pertaining to any specifics. Q1 How much would you say you know about vaccinations, in general? Nothing (1) A little (2) A moderate amount (3) A lot (4) A great deal (5) Q2 How passionate would you say you feel about this topic? Very passionate (1) Passionate (2) Neutral (3) Not much (4) Not at all (5) Q3 Do you believe that fewer people are choosing to vaccinate today? Definitely yes (1) Probably yes (2) Might or might not (3) Probably not (4) Definitely not (5) Q4 Have you ever received a vaccination (for example: measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis, small pox, etc.) Yes (1) No (2) Not sure (3) MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 30

32 Q5 Why do you think people get vaccinated? Check all that apply. School/Work requirement (1) They have no choice (2) To avoid illness (3) Other (4) Q6 Where do you get your information about vaccinations? Check all that apply. Medical Journals (1) News/Media Outlets (2) Friends and Family (3) Medical Providers (4) Other (5) Q7 Do you support the practice of vaccinating? Definitely yes (1) Probably yes (2) Might or might not (3) Probably not (4) Definitely not (5) Q8 Do you think that people should vaccinate their children? Definitely yes (1) Probably yes (2) Might or might not (3) Probably not (4) Definitely not (5) Q9 If you had a child, would you vaccinate them? Definitely yes (1) Probably yes (2) Might or might not (3) Probably not (4) Definitely not (5) Q10 Hypothetically speaking, how would you feel if your child was in contact with another child who was not vaccinated? MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 31

33 Q11 Do you think millennials, in general, support vaccinations? (Millennial: people born between the years 1980 and 2000) They support vaccinations (1) They do not support vaccinations (2) Unsure (3) Q12 When you think of a person who is vaccinated or who has children who are vaccinated, what traits come to mind? Q13 When you think of someone who has NOT vaccinated themselves or their children, what traits come to mind? Q14 Should religion have an influence on medical practices? Definitely yes (1) Probably yes (2) Might or might not (3) Probably not (4) Definitely not (5) Q15 Should vaccination be mandatory nation-wide? Strongly agree (1) Agree (2) Neither agree nor disagree (3) Disagree (4) Strongly disagree (5) Q16 How likely are you to trust the media for news and information? Extremely likely (1) Likely (2) Neutral (3) Unlikely (4) Extremely unlikely (5) Q17 How likely are you to trust your healthcare provider for information on vaccinations? Extremely likely (1) Likely (2) Neutral (3) Unlikely (4) Extremely unlikely (5) MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 32

34 Q18 What sources do you think are reliable for news and information? Check all that apply. Network News (1) Internet (2) Social Media (3) Word of mouth (4) Other (5) Q19 How often do you pay attention to advertisements? Always (1) Most of the time (2) About half the time (3) Sometimes (11) Never (12) XIV. APPENDIX 3: IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW GUIDE Introduction The following interview will be conducted to gain deeper insight on how millennials feel about the concept of vaccination and how their opinions will influence their future choices. The following interview will be conducted by a representative at BIEL Research & Communications and should last between 15 and 30 minutes. There are no right or wrong answers to any of the questions asked in the interview. Speak freely and openly, giving honest responses to the questions posed. The team at BIEL Research & Communications respects your privacy; answers will be kept anonymous. The interviewer will be taking notes during the interview; no taping or recording will be necessary. Before the interview can take place, the interviewee must give consent to participate. At any time during the interview, the interviewee has the ability to decline participation with no retaliation or consequence. MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 33

35 Preexisting Knowledge of Vaccination This first set of questions revolve around any preexisting ideas about vaccination. This will allow the research team to get a better understanding of what your knowledge of vaccinations is currently, which will lead us into the proceeding sections. What do you know about vaccination? How strongly do you feel about this topic? Do you think that a lot of people are vaccinated? Why? Are you vaccinated? If yes, why? If no, why? How would you feel about getting vaccinated? Do you know the benefits of vaccination? Could you list some for me? Where did you get this information? Interviewees Perception of Vaccination Now that you have explained your prior knowledge regarding vaccinations, we would now like to know what you personally think about vaccinations. What is your opinion on vaccination? What made you arrive at this opinion? Who or what has influenced you? How would you convince someone else to have the same opinion as you? MILLENIALS AND VACCINATION 34