Complementary medicine and childhood immunisation: A critical review

Wardle, J; Frawley, J; Steel, A; Sullivan, E

Complementary medicine and childhood immunisation: A critical review

Wardle, J

Frawley, J

Steel, A

Sullivan, E

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Vaccine, 2016, 34 (38), pp. 4484 - 4500
Issue Date:: 2016-08-31

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Wardle, J https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8813-3542	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Frawley, J https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6037-0140	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Steel, A https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6643-9444	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Sullivan, E https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8718-2753	en_US
dc.date.available	2016-07-15	en_US
dc.date.issued	2016-08-31	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Vaccine, 2016, 34 (38), pp. 4484 - 4500	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0264-410X	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/55183
dc.description.abstract	© 2016 Elsevier Ltd Background Vaccination is one of the most significant and successful public health measures of recent times. Whilst the use of complementary medicine (CM) continues to grow, it has been suggested that CM practitioners hold anti-vaccination views. The objective of this critical review is to examine the evidence base in relation to CM practitioner attitudes to childhood vaccination alongside attitudes to vaccination among parents who visit CM practitioners and/or use CM products. Methods A database search was conducted in MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE and AMED for research articles published between January 2000 and September 2015 that evaluated either CM practitioner or CM user attitudes and intention towards childhood vaccination. Results A total of 23 articles were found that detailed the attitudes of CM practitioners to vaccination. A further 16 papers examined the association between the use of CM products and visits to CM practitioners, and immunisation. The interface between CM and vaccination is complex, multi-factorial and often highly individualised. The articles suggest that there is no default position on immunisation by CM practitioners or parents who use CM themselves, or for their children. Although CM use does seem positively associated with lower vaccination uptake, this may be confounded by other factors associated with CM use (such as higher income, higher education or distrust of the medical system), and may not necessarily indicate independent or predictive relationships. Conclusions Although anti-vaccination sentiment is significant amongst some CM practitioners, this review uncovers a more nuanced picture, and one that may be more agreeable to public health values than formerly assumed.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Vaccine	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.07.026	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Virology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Vaccination	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Complementary Therapies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Parents	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Health Personnel	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Vaccination Refusal	en_US
dc.title	Complementary medicine and childhood immunisation: A critical review	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	38	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	34	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
utslib.for	1104 Complementary and Alternative Medicine	en_US
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences	en_US
utslib.for	11 Medical and Health Sciences	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Public Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	38	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	34	en_US

Abstract:

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd Background Vaccination is one of the most significant and successful public health measures of recent times. Whilst the use of complementary medicine (CM) continues to grow, it has been suggested that CM practitioners hold anti-vaccination views. The objective of this critical review is to examine the evidence base in relation to CM practitioner attitudes to childhood vaccination alongside attitudes to vaccination among parents who visit CM practitioners and/or use CM products. Methods A database search was conducted in MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE and AMED for research articles published between January 2000 and September 2015 that evaluated either CM practitioner or CM user attitudes and intention towards childhood vaccination. Results A total of 23 articles were found that detailed the attitudes of CM practitioners to vaccination. A further 16 papers examined the association between the use of CM products and visits to CM practitioners, and immunisation. The interface between CM and vaccination is complex, multi-factorial and often highly individualised. The articles suggest that there is no default position on immunisation by CM practitioners or parents who use CM themselves, or for their children. Although CM use does seem positively associated with lower vaccination uptake, this may be confounded by other factors associated with CM use (such as higher income, higher education or distrust of the medical system), and may not necessarily indicate independent or predictive relationships. Conclusions Although anti-vaccination sentiment is significant amongst some CM practitioners, this review uncovers a more nuanced picture, and one that may be more agreeable to public health values than formerly assumed.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/55183