A vast majority of Americans favor mandatory vaccinations of children unless there is a direct health risk to them from vaccination, according to a poll conducted by Reuters and global market research company Ipsos.
The online poll was conducted from Feb. 4 to Feb. 23 and includes a sample of more than 6,000 Americans over the age of 18.
Highlighted below are additional findings from the poll:
- Seventy-eight percent believe all children should be vaccinated unless there is a direct health risk to them from vaccination.
- Overall, 13 percent of the respondents opposed vaccinations.
- Opposition was considerably higher (17 percent) in the far West than anywhere else in the country.
- Older people are more supportive of vaccinations than younger people.
- Roughly 71 percent of the individuals polled indicated public schools should be allowed to suspend unvaccinated children during a major disease outbreak.
- Forty-two percent indicated a politician's position on vaccinations would have a major impact on whether they voted for him or her, whereas 35 percent said it would not.
- Approximately 38 percent of respondents backed the idea that parents should be allowed to choose whether to vaccinate their children. Forty-four percent opposed the idea.
Ipsos pollster Julia Clarke told Reuters that support for not vaccinating children did not appear to correlate with "libertarian" or "anti-authority" tendencies and sentiments. Instead, support for not vaccinating children frequently came from those who leaned Republican or Tea Party, or who identified as independent.
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