Anatomy of a health scare: education, income and the MMR controversy in the UK

Anderberg, Dan, Chevalier, Arnaud and Wadsworth, Jonathan (2009) Anatomy of a health scare: education, income and the MMR controversy in the UK. CEP Discussion Paper (929). London School of Economics and Political Science. Centre for Economic Performance, London, UK.

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Abstract

One theory for why there is an education gradient in health outcomes is that more educated individuals more quickly absorb new health-related information. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) controversy provides a case where, for a short period, some publicized research suggested that the particular childhood vaccine could have serious side-effects. As the controversy unfolded, uptake of the vaccine by more educated parents decreased relative to that of less educated parents, turning a positive education gradient into a negative one. We also consider the response in terms of uptake of other childhood vaccines and purchases of alternatives to the MMR.

Item Type:	Monograph (Discussion Paper)
Official URL:	http://cep.lse.ac.uk/
Additional Information:	© 2009 The authors
Divisions:	Centre for Economic Performance
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain L Education > L Education (General) R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
JEL classification:	I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I1 - Health > I18 - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health H - Public Economics > H4 - Publicly Provided Goods > H42 - Publicly Provided Private Goods
Date Deposited:	13 Jul 2010 12:18
Last Modified:	13 Sep 2024 20:12
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/28600

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