Homeschooling families have diverse vaccination practices, according to a recent study. Therefore, pediatricians and other healthcare practitioners should not make assumptions about health beliefs in this community, and should instead engage parents in conversations about their risk perceptions and vaccine decisions. A qualitative study (focus groups) of Christian homeschooling parents representing a diversity of vaccination practices (full, partial/delayed, and no vaccination) was conducted in southcentral Pennsylvania in 2017. Researchers found:

• Many of the perspectives expressed by the study population aligned with those of the general American population, including uncertainty about the risk from vaccine-preventable diseases, concerns about the efficacy and safety of vaccines, and confusion about conflicting vaccine information.
• Christian homeschooling parents expressed 2 especially prominent perceptions: 1) a belief that they had a very low risk of contracting infectious diseases because God has provided them with the natural tools necessary for health, and 2) a stronger-than-typical sense of empowerment related to parental decision-making and autonomy.
• Participants expressed that they were generally open to honest communication about vaccination with physicians who respect parental authority.