Parent Trap: Stony Brook Doctors Work to Combat Vaccine Misinformation

New website provides evidence-based resources on childhood vaccines

Across the country, clinicians contend with a sharp rise in vaccine hesitancy. Stony Brook Children's Hospital has seen a 30 percent decrease in vaccines overall in both the pediatrician offices (MMR, RSV, flu) and the newborn nursery (vitamin K, RSV and hepatitis B).

Through it, Stony Brook doctors remain committed to serving the best interests in children's health while remaining sensitive to the underlying confusion and mistrust surrounding vaccines.

"It's difficult," said Susan Walker, clinical associate professor of Pediatrics at Stony Brook Medicine. "Vaccine hesitancy has been around for a long time. In fact, it's been around since the time of Ben Franklin and the smallpox vaccine."

Cardiologist Laurie Panesar, vice chair for ambulatory operations, is working to ensure the quality of care provided across Stony Brook's ambulatory pediatric practice. She is leading a group of primary care and infectious disease experts to give patients access to the latest knowledge and information.

As part of this effort, Stony Brook medical experts have created a website to deliver evidence-based resourcesincluding articles about vaccines and why they matter, the immunization schedule recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and answers to common questions families have.

"With this initiative, we aim to provide patients and families with clear, evidence-based information and trusted resources to help them make informed decisions about their health and the health of their children," said Panesar. "In an era of overwhelming and often conflicting information, we encourage families to ask questions and place trust in their pediatrician who is committed by oath to keeping children safe and healthy."

Walker said the challenge for pediatricians is in establishing a foundation of trust and meeting parents where they are.

"Even if we have nothing else in common, we both want what's best for their child," she said. "So we absolutely have that common ground. After that the challenge becomes helping the parents make the best decision for their child, and arming them with the medical knowledge that we have about the importance of vaccines."

Andrew Handel, clinical associate professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, said a big part of the problem stems from how people get their information.

"When I speak with families, I see time and time again that we're living in media silos where we hear individually targeted messages that create an echo chamber."

As an example, Handel noted the effect of recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changes in their recommended vaccine schedule.

"The truth is none of the changes that have taken place actually change which vaccines are available for children," he said. "The updated CDC recommendations simply suggest we use a shared clinical decision-making approach, targeting vaccination efforts towards higher-risk children, and suggests those at lower risk may not need those vaccines. That's not very different from the conversations we've always had with our patients. But what families hear is that vaccines aren't recommended at all."

Handel said that over time, these narratives slowly instill concern and anxiety into families about which vaccines are necessary and safe when in reality nothing has changed.

"We already have the data," he said, "and that data shows that vaccines are safe and effective."

Walker said that today, being able to connect on a parental level is just as important as conveying scientific knowledge.

"There's been a lot of research on this, on how to combat vaccine hesitancy and work with parents, and you would think giving them the data would be helpful," she said. "As it turns out, those discussions don't really move the needle because vaccine hesitancy is more of an emotional decision rather than a rational one."

In the end, said Walker, parents are worried about doing something that's going to harm their children.

"As a parent, I totally understand that," said Walker. "What I try to do is I meet the parents where they are and say 'I know you want what's best for your child, and I do too.' One of the most powerful things that I can say and dosay is that I have three fully grown children, all of whom were fully vaccinated, and I would do it again. And when my children have children, I feel that it's important that theybe vaccinated. I tell them I would never recommend for their child what I would not recommend for my own. I find that that at least helps the parents appreciate that what I'm saying is truly what I think is best for the child."

Both doctors say that communication and trust is essential in helping parents make the best decisions for their child.

"It's the individual one-on-one discussions with their pediatricians that make the difference," said Handel. "Healthcare professionals are often the most trusted people around. It's easy to scroll through social media and Tik-Tok and hear scary messages from strangers. But when you sit down with your pediatrician and have one-on-one discussions, I think that can help reassure families who are on the fence but have some questions about the vaccines. Those conversations can help make them feel more confident with the decision to vaccinate their children, and to understand why the pediatrician that they've developed a relationship with feels so strongly about it and trusts it."

Both doctors also said that while the path is sometimes frustrating, it's important to keep lines of communication open and to be available when the important questions get asked.

"I think we've gotten a little more comfortable accepting that we won't convince everyone, and sometimes all you can offer is to be available to answer questions," said Handel. "It can be very frustrating, but hopefully over time we will regain trust and put some of these concerns to rest."

"The plea to parents is that we pediatricians want what's best for your child, and we spend a lot of time learning," added Walker. "We're asking for your trust. What we recommend for your child is what we would do for our own."

- Robert Emproto