Abstract：
We examine the effect of Internet diffusion on the uptake of an important public health intervention: the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. We study England between 2000 and 2011 when Internet diffusion spread rapidly and there was a high profile medical article (falsely) linking the MMR vaccine to autism. OLS estimates suggest Internet diffusion led to an increase in vaccination rates. This result is reversed after allowing for endogeneity of Internet access. The effect of Internet diffusion is sizable. A one standard deviation increase in Internet penetration led to around a 20% decrease in vaccination rates. Localities characterized by higher proportions of high skilled individuals and lower deprivation levels had a larger response to Internet diffusion. These findings are consistent with higher skilled and less-deprived parents responding faster to false information that the vaccine could lead to autism.
摘要：
我们研究了互联网扩散对采用重要公共卫生干预措施的影响：麻疹，腮腺炎和风疹（MMR）疫苗。我们研究了2000年至2011年之间的英格兰，当时互联网传播迅速传播，并且有一篇高调的医学文章（错误地）将MMR疫苗与自闭症联系起来。OLS估计表明，互联网扩散导致疫苗接种率增加。在允许互联网访问的内生性之后，这个结果是相反的。互联网扩散的影响是相当大的。互联网普及率增加一个标准差导致疫苗接种率下降约20%。以高技能个人比例较高和贫困水平较低为特征的地区对互联网传播的反应更大。这些发现与更高技能和更少贫困的父母对疫苗可能导致自闭症的虚假信息反应更快是一致的。
