WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans are increasingly unsure what to believe about measles as an outbreak spreads throughout the country, according to a survey released Wednesday by the nonpartisan health research organization KFF.
The poll shows that nearly a quarter of those asked believe a commonly repeated false claim that getting a child vaccinated against measles could lead to autism. About the same percentage of those surveyed believe it’s either definitely or probably true that vitamin A can prevent someone from contracting measles, even though it cannot.
And 19% of those surveyed believed untrue statements that the vaccine for measles is more dangerous than contracting the virus.
Parents who believed at least one of the three incorrect claims were more likely to have delayed or skipped some vaccinations for their children. Nearly a quarter, 24%, of those surveyed said they haven’t protected their children via vaccination, more than double the 11% of parents who responded that all three of the false statements about measles were definitely or probably untrue.
Ongoing outbreak
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that as of late last week there are more than 800 measles diagnoses throughout at least 25 states.
The infections are spread throughout different age groups with 31% of cases in children under five years old, 38% of diagnoses in those between five and 19 years old, 29% in people above the age of 20 and 2% in those with an unknown age, according to the CDC.
Eighty-five patients have been hospitalized and three have died. Nearly all of the confirmed cases, 96%, are in people who have not received the MMR vaccine or who are unsure about their vaccination status, according to the CDC.
States with confirmed cases include Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Washington.
Virginia reported its first case this year over the weekend, though that’s not yet included on the CDC’s website about the ongoing outbreak.
Understanding linked with concern
KFF’s survey shows that even though there are many people who believe untrue claims about measles or the MMR vaccine — which protects against measles, mumps and rubella — there are higher percentages of people who understand basic facts about the virus and who are concerned about the ongoing outbreak.
Seventy-five percent of those polled said it was incorrect that the MMR vaccine leads to autism, 81% responded it was wrong to say the vaccine is more dangerous than contracting the virus and 75% said it was false that vitamin A can prevent someone from getting measles.
About half, or 51%, of those surveyed said they are at least somewhat concerned about the spread of measles. That worry was highest among Hispanic adults, 62%, and Black adults, 61%.
Most of the people surveyed, 56%, knew that the spread of measles was higher this year than during prior years, though that number varied among people of different political leanings.
Seventy-one percent of Democrats knew that diagnoses of measles have spiked in recent months, compared with 54% of independents and 49% of Republicans.
KFF conducted the survey of 1,380 adults between April 8 and April 15 via telephone and online questions.
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