Information and vaccine hesitancy: The role of broadband Internet
研究了2000-2011年英格兰互联网普及对MMR疫苗接种率的影响，发现互联网普及导致接种率下降约20%，且高技能、低贫困地区反应更大。
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.