Families in middle-class areas shun MMR vaccine

Published on Tuesday 25 April 2006 02:31

Key quote

"Although early vaccination is best, we would much rather people vaccinated late than not at all" - DR CLAIRE CAMERON

Story in full THE number of Scottish children who are not vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella has increased - and middle-class parents might be to blame, a report claims.

A study published today by Health Protection Scotland reveals that 25 postcode districts in Scotland have more than 20 per cent of nursery school children at risk of catching measles because they have not had the MMR jab.

This is up from just three postcode areas in 1998, when controversial research linked the MMR vaccine to autism, causing parents to abandon the jab.

Health Protection Scotland is looking at whether the falling uptake is chiefly due to affluent parents declining the jab, or if rates are falling across all social groups.

Researchers said it was not just deprived areas where MMR uptake was low, but recent studies suggested affluent parents were also rejecting the vaccine. The latest research, published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, found that the most affluent parents tended to vaccinate their children with the MMR promptly or not at all. Those in deprived areas were more likely to delay vaccination.

Figures from the Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics (SNS) website also showed that many well-off areas were recording MMR uptake below the national average, leaving many children unprotected against these potentially serious infections.

A recent spate of 12 cases of measles in Dumfries and Galloway has renewed fears that outbreaks of the disease might spread.

Dr Claire Cameron, one of the researchers involved in the study, said the 25 areas found to have a high risk of measles included the most deprived and most affluent sectors. She said the social groups between these extremes tended to have the highest uptake.

But the reasons for these differences remained unclear and further research was being carried out to identify what factors might be involved.

Dr Cameron said those from more affluent backgrounds might be more likely to make their own decision, rather than take the advice of a doctor. . Affluent parents might also be able to pay for single vaccinations, which are not available on the NHS, although no figures are collected on single-jab uptake.

Dr Cameron, an expert in the epidemiology of immunisation, said it was important to increase MMR uptake, not just in deprived areas but also in the more affluent ones.

"Although early vaccination is best, we would much rather people vaccinated late than not at all," she said.

The most recent figures from the Executive - covering the last quarter of 2005 - show uptake of MMR by age two across Scotland is 90.7 per cent - a slight increase on the previous quarter.

Experts believe uptake of 95 per cent is needed for "herd immunity" - where a population is resistant to infection because so many are immune. But the SNS website shows that many areas lag well below this level.

In affluent Barnton, in Edinburgh, MMR uptake is just 62.5 per cent. The better-off areas of Kelvinside in Glasgow and parts of Morningside in Edinburgh had 80 per cent uptake, while some had 100 per cent.

More deprived areas also showed mixed results. Craigmillar in Edinburgh had 86.7 per cent uptake, while Wester Hailes had 50 per cent. But other deprived areas, such as Pilton and Niddrie, had 100 per cent uptake, possibly due to high-profile local health campaigns.

Dr Cameron said Health Protection Scotland supported the use of the MMR jab and was pleased uptake was increasing.

"We want as many children as possible to be protected against measles, mumps and rubella, and the best way to do that is with the MMR," she said.

'He more or less went into a coma after jab'

ANGUS and Lucy Files have four children, but only two have had the MMR vaccine.

The couple from Oban have decided that their youngest children - Angus, two, and Arabella, five months - will receive no vaccines until their safety can be assured. They believe that Tom, ten, and Geoffrey, eight, were affected by the jab.

"After Tom was vaccinated at 13 months, he went from being a very sociable little boy to losing his communication skills, completely shunning us. Thankfully, his social development improved by three," Mr Files said.

But the couple believe Geoffrey's autism was the result of his vaccination. "From the day he got MMR, he more or less went into a coma," Mr Files said. "He doesn't want to play with anyone, he doesn't want to talk to anyone."

Mr Files said they noticed a change in Geoffrey straight after he was vaccinated. He suffered ear infections and had to take a lot of antibiotics. "Before the jab, he was starting to feed himself. Now he has to be watched to make sure he is eating. He has gone backwards," he said.

Mr Files said there was "no way" his other children would be given vaccinations. "But our health visitor has criticised us for that, says we are irresponsible and taking advantage of the herd immunity," he said.