BACKGROUND Fear of autism has led to a decline in childhood-immunization uptake and to a resurgence of preventable infectious diseases. Identifying characteristics of parents who believe in a causal role of vaccines for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in their child may help targeting educational activities and improve adherence to the immunization schedule. OBJECTIVES To compare caregivers of children with ASD who agree or disagree that vaccines play an etiological role in autism for 1) socio-demographics characteristics and 2) developmental and clinical profiles of their children. METHODS Data from 16,525 participants with ASD under age 18 were obtained from SPARK, a national research cohort started in 2016. Caregivers completed questionnaires at registration that included questions on beliefs about the etiologic role of childhood immunizations and other factors in ASD. Data were available about family socio-demographic characteristics, first symptoms of autism, developmental regression, co-occurring psychiatric disorders, seizures, and current levels of functioning. RESULTS Participants with ASD were 80.4% male with a mean age of 8.1 years (SD = 4.1). Overall, 16.5% of caregivers endorsed immunizations as perceived causes of autism. Compared to caregivers who disagreed with vaccines as a cause for ASD, those who believed in vaccine causation came disproportionately from ethnic minority, less educated, and less wealthy backgrounds. More often their children had experienced developmental regression involving language and other skills, were diagnosed earlier, had lost skills during the second year of life, and had worse language, adaptive, and cognitive outcomes. CONCLUSION One in six caregivers who participate in a national research cohort believe that child immunizations could be a cause of autism in their child. Parent social background (non-White, less educated) and child developmental features (regression in second year, poorer language skills, and worse adaptive outcomes) index caregivers who are more likely to harbor these beliefs and could benefit from targeted educational activities.

中文翻译：

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SPARK 队列护理人员相信疫苗是导致自闭症的原因。

背景技术对自闭症的恐惧导致儿童免疫接种率下降以及可预防传染病的死灰复燃。确定相信自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 疫苗对孩子有因果作用的父母的特征可能有助于有针对性地开展教育活动并提高对免疫接种计划的遵守率。目的 比较自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 儿童的照顾者是否同意疫苗在自闭症中发挥病因学作用，包括 1) 社会人口统计学特征和 2) 儿童的发育和临床特征。方法 16,525 名 18 岁以下 ASD 参与者的数据来自 SPARK，这是一个于 2016 年启动的国家研究队列。护理人员在登记时填写了问卷，其中包括关于儿童免疫接种的病因作用和 ASD 中其他因素的信念问题。可以获得有关家庭社会人口特征、自闭症首发症状、发育退化、并发精神疾病、癫痫发作和当前功能水平的数据。结果 患有 ASD 的参与者中有 80.4% 是男性，平均年龄为 8.1 岁 (SD = 4.1)。总体而言，16.5% 的护理人员认为免疫接种是导致自闭症的原因。与不同意疫苗导致自闭症谱系障碍的护理人员相比，那些相信疫苗导致自闭症谱系障碍的护理人员不成比例地来自少数族裔、受教育程度较低和不太富裕的背景。更常见的是，他们的孩子经历了涉及语言和其他技能的发育退化，更早被诊断，在生命的第二年失去了技能，并且语言、适应性和认知结果更差。结论 参加全国研究队列的六分之一的护理人员认为，儿童免疫接种可能是其孩子患自闭症的一个原因。父母的社会背景（非白人、受教育程度较低）和儿童发展特征（第二年退化、语言技能较差和适应性结果较差）表明看护者更有可能持有这些信念，并可以从有针对性的教育活动中受益。