CCIC Provider Education: Religious Vaccine Exemptions
Major religions support vaccination, but 47 states and the District of Columbia allow parents to claim exemptions from school- or childcare-mandated vaccines based on religious beliefs. Colorado allows religious vaccine exemptions (RVEs) and has one of the highest RVE rates in America. This presentation reviewed national and local trends in RVEs, discussed salient tenets and sacred texts from major faith traditions that may influence vaccine attitudes and practices, and described results from a 2016-2017 pilot study to assess Denver religious leaders' vaccine attitudes, practices, and congregational experiences.
Objectives
At the conclusion of this seminar, participants were able to:
1. Describe trends in the rates of religious vaccine exemptions across America and in Colorado over the past decade.
2. Describe Colorado's RVE law and how parents claim RVEs for their children.
3. Discuss how key tenets and sacred texts from major faith traditions may influence vaccine attitudes and practices.
4. Summarize results of a recent pilot study to assess Denver religious leaders' vaccine attitudes, practices, and congregational experiences.
About the Presenter
Josh Williams is a staff pediatrician at Denver Health Medical Center and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. He grew up in the Midwest and went to medical school at the University of Chicago before moving to Colorado for residency and a Chief Resident year. He is married with two children, loves hiking and photography, plays guitar, and is trying out woodworking. He is a practicing Anglican.
