[Attitudes towards immunization]

Ever since vaccination was introduced, a minority has been opposed to this practice. Recently however, fear of adverse events and a general questioning of the usefulness of certain vaccines have led to wariness on the part of the broader public. In France, this phenomenon is particularly striking since the hepatitis B vaccination campaign. We wished to analyse the situation by drawing on the results of surveys conducted by the French Institute of Prevention and Health Education (Institut national de prévention et d'éducation pour la santé, INPES) which sought to gain a better understanding of health care professionals' and the general public's attitudes towards immunization.

Although the majority of French men and women are convinced of the overall benefit of vaccination in the past, they increasingly question vaccine safety and usefulness today.

In order to prevent further deterioration of the situation, efforts must be made to enhance public and professional awareness as to the stakes involved in the control of vaccine preventable diseases.