There are few things in life more painful, more heart wrenching than watching young children needlessly suffer. That's why we continue to stress that vaccinating children against pertussis — whooping cough — is both highly effective medically and a moral imperative.
In an era where many parents believe that vaccinations can be more dangerous than the disease itself, the current whooping cough epidemic is a case in point.
And this point is made from of a paradox: Poorer Latinos, who historically find it difficult to access health care, have a dramatically lower incidence of whooping cough.
Here's the reason: State and local health officials have examined data about Latinos living in the Pajaro Valley in southern Santa Cruz County and found they have higher vaccination rates than the more affluent white population in the northern county — and correspondingly fewer cases of whooping cough, a disease that starts as a cold and can quickly become life threatening for young children. State health officials say this trend holds across California.
Health officials point to what one described as a "culture of vaccination" many learned in their countries of origin. Poorer immigrants are also less likely to file "personal belief exemptions," which allow parents — for various reasons — to opt out of state-mandated vaccines for their children. Dr. James Cherry, a leading expert on pediatric diseases and a professor at the UCLA School of Medicine, was quoted saying Latinos "are more likely to go along with the general health policy recommendations of doctors they see."
In terms of vaccinations, this isn't true among all populations. Personal exemption rates for vaccinations continue to rise across the state, with the numbers tripling over the past decade. In Santa Cruz County, some 9.5 percent of people with kindergartners have filed such exemptions, compared to a rate of 2 percent statewide. Monterey County is close to the state average. Studies have shown that white, college-educated, more affluent parents are more likely to believe theories that vaccines can cause autism — theories shown to be false.
But a 2010-11 survey showed that by age 2, Latino and Asian toddlers have higher rates of overall immunization than white toddlers. African-American toddlers have the lowest rate. A newer survey is expected to show the same results, state health officials said.
With pertussis, it's the youngest children — 4 months and younger — most at risk. Health officials recommend pregnant women get a pertussis vaccination during the third trimester — even if she had received an immunization earlier. Infants should be immunized again by at least two months of age. Further, health officials recommend another set of shots by age 6. That might seem excessive, but the health implications of the disease can be significant, particularly when there are a significant number of parents who are mistakenly preventing their children from being vaccinated at all.
Adults can also be affected. Childhood vaccinations for whooping cough wear out by the time adults reach middle age, and considering the risk, they should receive a booster shot.
It's easy to consider pertussis as one of those long-ago diseases we don't have to worry about anymore. It's easy, and wrong, to ignore the risk, Now the latest medical data proves too many children are getting sick for no reason.