Socio-demographic and health-related predictors of uptake of first MMR immunisation in the Lifeways Cohort Study

The aim of this study was to investigate the uptake of the first dose of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and factors associated with not receiving this vaccine. A cross-generation cohort study was conducted with prospective linkage to primary care and hospital health records in urban and rural settings in Ireland 2001–2004. Seven hundred and forty-nine singleton children were included, with an MMR uptake of 88.7% by the age of 5 years. These data confirm prospectively for the first time that in addition to factors associated with disadvantage, other health practices and beliefs, particularly mother's complementary and alternative medicine use, are associated with decreased MMR uptake (adjusted OR 2.65 (1.76–3.98)). This information suggests that parental attitudes and beliefs regarding vaccines must be considered when developing programmes to improve immunisation uptake.