New KFF-Washington Put up Survey Explores Dad and mom’ Belief In, and Confusion About, Childhood Vaccines because the Trump Administration Revamps Federal Insurance policies

A brand new KFF-Washington Put up partnership survey of oldsters explores their experiences with and views about vaccines for his or her kids, together with a glance into how they make selections associated to vaccines and the place they’re unsure or confused about their security.

The ballot comes because the Trump administration’s Health and Human Companies Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to query the childhood vaccine schedule and to lift doubts about vaccine security and effectiveness. Based mostly on interviews with greater than 2,700 dad and mom, together with greater than 1,000 dad and mom with kids beneath age 6 who’ve needed to make selections about vaccines within the post-COVID period, the survey’s findings can be featured in a sequence of Washington Put up tales and KFF reviews analyzing the survey information.

The survey reveals giant majorities of oldsters view long-standing childhood vaccines akin to those to forestall measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and polio as secure and vital, however are much less assured in seasonal vaccines for flu and particularly COVID-19.

Whereas most dad and mom say they hold their kids updated on advisable childhood vaccines, about one in six (16%) say that they’ve delayed or skipped at the very least one vaccine for his or her kids (aside from these for flu and COVID-19). These most probably to report delaying or skipping vaccines embody Republican dad and mom (22%), particularly those that establish with President Trump’s “Make America Nice Once more” motion (25%), dad and mom beneath age 35 (19%), and those that homeschool their little one (46%).

Amongst dad and mom who delayed or skipped some vaccines for his or her kids, the commonest causes embody considerations about unintended effects, a scarcity of belief in vaccine security, and a perception that not all suggest vaccines are essential.

That is the 37^th survey within the KFF-Put up partnership courting again to 1995 that mixes survey analysis with in-depth journalism. The Put up at present printed its Health/2025/09/15/childhood-vaccines-parents-post-kff-poll/”>overview of the outcomes, whereas KFF printed a report breaking down the info. The Put up plans to publish further tales drawing on the survey outcomes.

Key themes from the survey embody:

Most favor faculty vaccine necessities. A big majority (81%) of oldsters say that public faculties ought to require college students to get the measles and polio vaccines, with exceptions for medical and non secular causes. Amongst all dad and mom, 8% say that they’d requested an exemption to vaccine necessities so a baby might attend faculty or daycare.

Many are unsure about false claims. When requested about a number of false claims about vaccines and measles, comparatively few dad and mom consider the unfaithful statements, however bigger shares are unsure what to consider. One instance: Whereas comparatively few (9%) dad and mom consider the false declare that the MMR vaccine could cause autism in kids, almost half (48%) say they don’t know sufficient to say.

Views of oldsters with kids identified with autism spectrum dysfunction. Dad and mom of youngsters with autism spectrum dysfunction are considerably extra seemingly than different dad and mom to consider the false declare that vaccines trigger autism (16% vs. 9%).

Confidence in federal Health companies is shaky. Fewer than one in six (14%) dad and mom say they’ve “rather a lot” of confidence in authorities Health companies just like the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) and the Meals and Drug Administration to make sure the protection and effectiveness of vaccines, whereas half say they’ve solely a little bit confidence (29%) or none in any respect (22%). Confidence is even decrease within the companies’ talents to make selections based mostly on science quite than the views of company officers or to behave independently with out interference from exterior pursuits. 1 / 4 (26%) of oldsters total say that the CDC recommends too many vaccines.

Many dad and mom are not sure about impression of federal vaccine coverage adjustments. Few dad and mom (11%) say they’ve heard “rather a lot” about Secretary Kennedy’s adjustments to federal vaccine coverage. When requested in regards to the adjustments’ impression, most say both that they don’t know or that the adjustments received’t make of a distinction on security, entry, and business affect.

The survey additionally examines dad and mom’ views of the protection testing for vaccines, the variety of advisable vaccines, and experiences with the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

METHODOLOGY INFO:

The KFF/Washington Put up Survey of Dad and mom consists of interviews with a nationally consultant pattern of two,716 dad and mom or authorized guardians of youngsters beneath age 18 within the U.S. The survey was carried out between July 18-August 4, 2025, on-line, in English and Spanish, utilizing the Ipsos KnowledgePanel. The margin of sampling error together with the design impact for complete pattern of oldsters is plus or minus 2 proportion factors. For outcomes based mostly on different subgroups, the margin of sampling error could also be increased.