Editor's note

Some parents with concerns about the safety of vaccines get the cold shoulder from their child’s doctor, but a recent study suggests that a sympathetic ear may be a better response. As the goal is to vaccinate as many within a population as possible to provide herd immunity “we need to better support health care professionals and patients through difficult conversations,” argues one of the authors, Mary Politi, “when there are disagreements or concerns about vaccines.”

President Trump called once again last night for Congress to fund a massive wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, but polls show that a majority of Americans oppose the idea. Gabriel Diaz Montemayor, who teaches landscape architecture at the University of Texas at Austin and practices it in the United States and Mexico, offers an alternative: a bi-national initiative to restore the Rio Grande.

And finally, a call to action! At The Conversation, we may not have millions of dollars to publicize our mission, but we do have loyal readers like you, who value our infusion of knowledge and expertise into the public dialogue. One way we are planning to get the word out about our journalism is by engaging journalists, educators and technologists at the SXSW conferences in Austin. We’ve proposed two panels for next year’s conference and we’re asking for your vote in support of them. Read more about the panels and how you can vote here. We’ve proposed two panels for next year’s conference and we’re asking for your vote in support of them. Read more about the panels and how you can vote here.

Lynne Anderson

Senior Editor, Health & Medicine

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A recent study of medical students and residents found they were reluctant to engage with parents who have vaccination fears. But listening to parents is important. Olena Yakobchuck/Shutterstock.com

The best shot at overcoming vaccination standoffs? Having doctors listen to – not shun – reluctant parents

Mary Politi, Washington University in St Louis

A recent study suggests that shunning parents who are reluctant to vaccinate their kids isn't the best strategy. A better strategy might be old-fashioned, but it works.

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