Mathematics for medical practitioners and patients: Understanding how vaccines work for the community
Publication Details
Ramsay, N.,
Sidhu, H.,
&
Waters, E.
(2020).
Mathematics for medical practitioners and patients: Understanding how vaccines work for the community.
AJGP: Australian Journal of General Practice, 49 (5).
Abstract
Medical practitioners frequently encounter patients with vaccine hesitancy, which is the delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccination despite availability of vaccination services. A recent study found while 8% of parents did not complete the National Immunisation Program Schedule for their children, an additional 44% reported varying levels of concern despite completing the schedule. This shows how vaccine acceptance does not necessarily indicate the absence of hesitancy, and understanding the mathematical basis behind immunisation scheduling may help address these concerns.
Keywords
vaccination, vaccine hesitancy, general practitioner, community-level protection, herd immunity
Link to Publisher Version (URL)
https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2020/may/mathematics-for-medical-practitioners