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Adhering to one's own cultural tradition is deemed more important than vaccination
Political leanings are a known driver of people’s attitudes towards scientific findings that are politically charged, and vaccination has become politicised in many countries.
A large body of research has established that across the globe, people with right-wing political views are presently more likely to reject scientific findings than people on the left. In the case of vaccinations, the association tends to be small and finds expression in different ways.
Vaccine opposition in European countries including the UK is related to nationalism, right-wing populism, and individualistic and hierarchical worldviews. Politically-motivated opposition to vaccinations can become particularly acute in the case of mandates.
This theme asserts that vaccination does not fit with some cultures that emphasise traditional practices. Vaccination is perceived as not for the community, and departing from their cultural beliefs. Those outside the culture are often pictured as an (usually less healthy) outgroup that is not like those within it.
Many of our traditions structure and give meaning to many of our acts and identities, thus being part of who we are. People have the right to have their traditions taken into account by health professionals and to be treated with respect regardless of their cultural background.
Dialogue between patients and healthcare professionals is most productive if it is guided by empathy, and an opportunity for the patient to affirm the reasons underlying their attitudes and to express understanding for that. That’s why it is important to understand the attitude roots behind people’s overt opinions. To affirm a person’s underlying attitude root does not mean we need to agree with the specifics of their argument. For example, we can acknowledge that:
Many of our traditions structure and give meaning to many of our acts and identities, thus being part of who we are. People have the right to have their traditions taken into account by health professionals and to be treated with respect regardless of their cultural background.
Almost all traditional beliefs and practices are compatible with immunization against a dangerous disease—having a traditional lifestyle by no means implies putting our own life and that of others at risk, especially the lives of those who belong to risk groups or adhere to other traditions. Moreover, traditions are not sacred, immutable or inherently good; they are constantly changing to adapt to our needs and ethical standards. Think of all the traditions that have changed during our lives in favor of healthier practices—for example, smoking in front of children or driving without a seat belt. We need to stay alive to keep our traditions alive.
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