"Hospitalization Risk For Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Is Higher In Amish Children" - Marilynn Larkin
Amish children are at increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) requiring hospitalization compared with non-Plain children, according to researchers. John Steever, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai said the study “brings data to the conventional wisdom that a lack of vaccination leads to an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases and an increase in hospitalizations.” Whether a child is unvaccinated due to religious or cultural reason is irrelevant, he added, “The child will be at risk for infection that could land them in the hospital, with all the risks and consequences that are known about hospitalizations.” Clinicians should encourage all families to vaccinate their young children to prevent illnesses that can lead to hospitalization, Dr. Steever advised.
- John Steever, MD, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director, Special Programs, Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center