Inattention or reluctance? Parental responses to vaccination reminder letters

Jonas Lau-Jensen Hirani

Journal of Health Economics, 2021, vol. 76, issue C

Abstract: This paper studies non-adherence in the Danish Childhood Vaccination Program using a nationwide introduction of a vaccination reminder letter policy and administrative data from 2011–2017. First, I provide causal estimates of how the reminder letter policy affects vaccination adherence using a Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD). Second, I link parental responses to the reminder letter to parents’ causes for being non-adherent. I find that the reminder letter policy positively affects adherence. However, 72% of non-adherent parents are non-responsive to the reminder letter indicating that reluctance and not inattention is the leading cause for non-adherence. Thus, other policies beyond reminder letters – such as mandatory vaccination laws – are necessary to substantially increase vaccination coverage.

Keywords: Early-life health; Vaccinations; Preventive care; Health behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I11 I12 I18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:76:y:2021:i:c:s0167629621000242

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102439

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