CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee has joined nine other states experiencing measles outbreaks, with health officials confirming six cases among unvaccinated individuals.
The Tennessee Department of Health reports vaccination rates among children have declined over the past five years, raising concerns among public health officials.
"We should all be concerned. This is a time, if ever, to make sure we're vaccinated," said Metro Nashville Department of Public Health Medical Director Dr. Joanna Shaw-KaiKai.
Many parents worry about potential long-term effects of vaccines on their children, but new research suggests measles vaccination may have intergenerational health benefits.
Austin Peay State University Professor Hamid Noghanibehambari has studied the long-term impacts of measles vaccination by analyzing millions of U.S. birth records from 1970-2004.
"This paper basically examines the early life and childhood exposure to the measles vaccination campaign that occurred in the 1960s," Noghanibehambari said.
His research found that mothers who received the measles vaccine had approximately 20% lower risk of having babies with low birth weight or premature births.
Noghanibehambari explains that measles can cause significant neurological damage, affecting development and future outcomes.
"It causes brain inflammation. It causes damage to brain tissues. It causes the immune system to mistakenly attack healthy brain cells," Noghanibehambari said. "And so, therefore, it causes damage to the cognitive development of children."
The research indicates that those who contract measles may face challenges later in life, including employment and educational difficulties.
"In the data, we can see that they have lower employment, lower labor force participation, and even when they get employment, they have lower education," Noghanibehambari said.
Health officials recommend children receive their first measles vaccine dose at 12 months and a second dose at age 4, which provides 98% protection against the disease.
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