Many parents are going in for vaccinating their children against flu as a result of the extensive coverage the media has given to the influenza virus. This has been revealed by the researchers belonging to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and it has been published by the journal Pediatrics. The coverage of the media is reported to have resulted in increased public awareness, resulting in better measures taken against the infection.
The authors of the study are William Schaffner of the Preventive Medicine of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Kimberly Ma, a student, Clinton Colmenares, Jerry Jones, and John Howser. As many as 256 children belonging to the age group of 6 months to 59 months were studied during the course of the research. The children were brought to a clinic of the VUMC during the summer months of 2004. Various factors like physician recommendation, media coverage, and other people going in for such vaccinations influenced the parents to vaccinate their children also. As many as 60% of the vaccinations were accounted for by the advice given by doctors, while another 26% were due to media influence.Other major public health issues can also be brought to the notice of the people in general by using the media, according to the researchers, which will contribute towards public well being.
