Poll Shows Georgia Parents Still Strongly Support Childhood Vaccines Despite Shifts in Federal Recommendations

Georgia parents strongly support the newborn hepatitis B vaccine and routine childhood vaccines and requirements, according to a recent poll conducted by the Emory Center for Child Health Policy. The poll also revealed concerns around vaccine cost and insurance coverage as key factors that could shape parents’ vaccination decisions.

Parental support of vaccination contrasts with changes proposed at the federal level, including  by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)’ recent vote to remove the longstanding recommendation for universal hepatitis B vaccination at birth. For more than 30 years, this recommendation has been instrumental in nearly eliminating hepatitis B infections among children. 

“Our results show that Georgia parents continue to show strong and steady trust in childhood vaccines, and that confidence has held firm since last year. They also place significant trust in their child’s doctor, who remains their most reliable source of vaccine information,” notes Stephen Patrick, MD, lead author and director of the Emory Center for Child Health Policy. “Still, there are warning signs. Changes to ACIP recommendations could mean fewer vaccines are covered at low or no cost, and our data show that families with lower incomes would be the most likely to forgo them. That puts children at risk and could widen existing gaps in access.”

Key Findings

• More than 70% of parents support administering the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. Nearly half strongly support it, while only about one in eight somewhat or strongly oppose it.
• Confidence in routine childhood vaccines remains high. Nearly nine in 10 (88%) of Georgia parents believe routine vaccines are safe, and about half say they are very safe. Although parents with lower levels of education express more concern, overall confidence remains stable compared with last year.
• Parents have limited awareness of how vaccine recommendations influence insurance coverage. Fewer than one in three Georgia parents know that insurers follow ACIP recommendations, which means many families may be unprepared for changes in vaccine coverage or cost. Awareness is particularly low among families with lower incomes.
• Cost could become a significant driver of vaccine decisions. If vaccines are not covered or are no longer free, families with fewer financial resources are much less likely to pay out of pocket, which could deepen existing inequities. About half of families earning less than $75,000 say they would likely pay, compared with more than two-thirds of higher-income families.
• Trust in vaccine information remains rooted in local and personal relationships. Parents overwhelmingly trust their child’s doctor, with 93% expressing at least some trust and about two-thirds saying they trust their doctor a great deal. In contrast, parents express more skepticism toward federal agencies such as the FDA and CDC.

Each year, the Emory Center for Child Health Policy, based in the Rollins School of Public Health, surveys Georgia parents to understand their concerns about their children, including issues related to childhood vaccines. This year’s survey was conducted among 1,002 Georgia parents between Oct. 30 and Nov. 24, 2025, and was designed to create population-representative estimates. 

This release is the first in a series that will be shared throughout 2026 and will culminate in The State of Child Health and Well-Being 2026 report. Follow along on the Emory Center for Child Health Policy web page for the latest updates.