Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2001 Apr;91(4):645-8.
doi: 10.2105/ajph.91.4.645.

Processes for obtaining nonmedical exemptions to state immunization laws

J S Rota  1 , D A Salmon, L E Rodewald, R T Chen, B F Hibbs, E J Gangarosa
Affiliations

Processes for obtaining nonmedical exemptions to state immunization laws

J S Rota et al. Am J Public Health. 2001 Apr.

Abstract

Objectives: This study sought to determine the specific processes required for obtaining religious and philosophical exemptions to school immunization laws.

Methods: State health department immunization program managers in the 48 states that offer nonmedical exemptions were surveyed. Categories were assigned to reflect the complexity of the procedure within a state for obtaining an exemption.

Results: Sixteen of the states delegated sole authority for processing exemptions to school officials. Nine states had written policies informing parents who seek an exemption of the risks of not immunizing. The complexity of the exemption process, in terms of paperwork or effort required, was inversely associated with the proportion of exemptions field.

Conclusions: In many states, the process of claiming a nonmedical exemption requires less effort than fulfilling immunization requirements.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Vaccine. 1999 Oct 29;17 Suppl 3:S19-24 - PubMed
    1. Practitioner. 1998 Jul;242(1588):524-6 - PubMed
    1. Public Health Rep. 1969 Sep;84(9):787-95 - PubMed
    1. Am J Public Health. 1977 Aug;67(8):763-4 - PubMed
    1. Public Health Rep. 1981 Jan-Feb;96(1):61-6 - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources