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Omission bias and pertussis vaccination
D A Asch1, J Baron, J C Hershey
1Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania School of Arts and Sciences.
Summary
Parents may avoid vaccinating children against pertussis due to omission bias, a tendency to prefer inaction over action, even when inaction is riskier. This bias influences vaccine decisions beyond perceived risks.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Decision Science
Background:
- Laboratory studies indicate a preference for harmful omissions over less harmful actions.
- Omission bias may influence parental decisions regarding childhood vaccinations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of omission bias in parents' decisions about pertussis vaccination for their children.
Main Methods:
- A mail survey was distributed to magazine subscribers with varying views on pertussis vaccination.
- Participants provided data on vaccine/disease beliefs, vaccination status, and exhibited omission bias.
Main Results:
- 41% of respondents chose not to vaccinate or would not vaccinate their children.
- Those avoiding vaccination were more likely to perceive vaccination as more dangerous than non-vaccination (p < 0.001).
- Omission bias was more prevalent in unvaccinated children, independent of perceived vaccine risk (p = 0.004).
Conclusions:
- Omission bias significantly influences decisions against pertussis vaccination.
- This bias operates independently of parental beliefs regarding the vaccine's inherent risks.