Population and Ethical Issue
Since 2012, there have been a number of outbreaks from vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States. Two of the most recent ones that have seen an increase over the years are whooping cough caused by pertussis and measles. Both of these diseases have vaccines that are available to the public, yet the cases related to these two continue to increase. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), in 2012, there were 48,277 reported cases of pertussis and among those, 20 pertussis related deaths; this was the most reported case since 1955. In a report done by the California Department of Public Health on February 12, 2015, California is currently experiencing a pertussis epidemic. Since 2014 there have been 11,555 cases of pertussis (DCPH, 2015). Measles is also having a larger impact on California compared to the rest of the United States. In about a two month period, January 1 to February 20, 2015 there have been 154 cases and three outbreaks of measles (CDC, 2015). This is after the CDC declared measles eliminated from the United States in 2000. According to the California department of Public Health, those seeking entry into public and private elementary and secondary schools must meet immunization requirements. This is a law under the health and safety code, but this law allows for exemptions. The two exemptions permitted by California law are for medical exemption and personal beliefs exemption (CDPH, 2015). Parents are exempting their children from vaccines that have been shown to significantly reduce the number disease related cases. These children are missing an opportunity for protection based on personal beliefs they might not completely understand. Upstream: Fear of Side Effects Parents who delayed and refused vaccine doses were more likely to have vaccine safety concerns due to the fear of sides effects that the vaccinations and immunizations have. Parents who delayed and refused vaccines were significantly less likely to believe that vaccines are necessary to protect the health of children (70.1% vs. 96.2%), that their child might get a disease if they aren 't vaccinated, and that vaccines are safe (50.4% vs. 84.9%) (Smith, Humiston, Marcuse, Zhao, Dorell, Howes & Hibbes, 2011). Getting a child vaccinated is stressful for both parent and child. For a parent, hearing their child’s pain and listening to their cries can be frightening. It is even more challenging when a child gets a fever or rash after getting a shot. Parents need to understand and realize that these reactions- crying, fever and rash- are all common side effects of vaccines that shows signs that the body is working hard to produce the antibodies it need that will protect them from the disease. It 's important to remember that all medical procedures have a risk of side effects. Vaccines are no different, but the risk of serious side effects is very small compared to the benefits vaccination provides.(“Immunize for Good” , 2010). For example, some parents think of chickenpox as a harmless, itchy rite of passage every child must go through. Some parents refuse the vaccine for this reason, or because they fear that the risk of side effects outweighs the risks associated with the disease (“Immunize for Good” , 2010). 1 in 10 unvaccinated children who get the disease will have a complication serious enough to result in a visit to a healthcare provider. Most children who get chickenpox will have 200-500 sores covering their body. Before the vaccine, 10,600 persons were hospitalized and 100 to 150 died as a result of chickenpox in the U.S. every year (“Immunize for Good” , 2010). …show more content…
Neglecting to immunize children when recommended creates vulnerability to infectious diseases. Measles is a prime example of a highly contagious disease that is preventable through vaccinations (Center for Disease and Control, 2015). When measles are exposed in an environment such as a park playground, the germ stays present hours after the infected person has left, leaving unvaccinated children at high risk for obtaining the disease(CDC, 2015). It is a ripple effect in which not only the unvaccinated child suffers from the disease, but now anyone who comes in contact with the infected child is more likely to carry the germ and spread the disease- causing an
Since 2012, there have been a number of outbreaks from vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States. Two of the most recent ones that have seen an increase over the years are whooping cough caused by pertussis and measles. Both of these diseases have vaccines that are available to the public, yet the cases related to these two continue to increase. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), in 2012, there were 48,277 reported cases of pertussis and among those, 20 pertussis related deaths; this was the most reported case since 1955. In a report done by the California Department of Public Health on February 12, 2015, California is currently experiencing a pertussis epidemic. Since 2014 there have been 11,555 cases of pertussis (DCPH, 2015). Measles is also having a larger impact on California compared to the rest of the United States. In about a two month period, January 1 to February 20, 2015 there have been 154 cases and three outbreaks of measles (CDC, 2015). This is after the CDC declared measles eliminated from the United States in 2000. According to the California department of Public Health, those seeking entry into public and private elementary and secondary schools must meet immunization requirements. This is a law under the health and safety code, but this law allows for exemptions. The two exemptions permitted by California law are for medical exemption and personal beliefs exemption (CDPH, 2015). Parents are exempting their children from vaccines that have been shown to significantly reduce the number disease related cases. These children are missing an opportunity for protection based on personal beliefs they might not completely understand. Upstream: Fear of Side Effects Parents who delayed and refused vaccine doses were more likely to have vaccine safety concerns due to the fear of sides effects that the vaccinations and immunizations have. Parents who delayed and refused vaccines were significantly less likely to believe that vaccines are necessary to protect the health of children (70.1% vs. 96.2%), that their child might get a disease if they aren 't vaccinated, and that vaccines are safe (50.4% vs. 84.9%) (Smith, Humiston, Marcuse, Zhao, Dorell, Howes & Hibbes, 2011). Getting a child vaccinated is stressful for both parent and child. For a parent, hearing their child’s pain and listening to their cries can be frightening. It is even more challenging when a child gets a fever or rash after getting a shot. Parents need to understand and realize that these reactions- crying, fever and rash- are all common side effects of vaccines that shows signs that the body is working hard to produce the antibodies it need that will protect them from the disease. It 's important to remember that all medical procedures have a risk of side effects. Vaccines are no different, but the risk of serious side effects is very small compared to the benefits vaccination provides.(“Immunize for Good” , 2010). For example, some parents think of chickenpox as a harmless, itchy rite of passage every child must go through. Some parents refuse the vaccine for this reason, or because they fear that the risk of side effects outweighs the risks associated with the disease (“Immunize for Good” , 2010). 1 in 10 unvaccinated children who get the disease will have a complication serious enough to result in a visit to a healthcare provider. Most children who get chickenpox will have 200-500 sores covering their body. Before the vaccine, 10,600 persons were hospitalized and 100 to 150 died as a result of chickenpox in the U.S. every year (“Immunize for Good” , 2010). …show more content…
Neglecting to immunize children when recommended creates vulnerability to infectious diseases. Measles is a prime example of a highly contagious disease that is preventable through vaccinations (Center for Disease and Control, 2015). When measles are exposed in an environment such as a park playground, the germ stays present hours after the infected person has left, leaving unvaccinated children at high risk for obtaining the disease(CDC, 2015). It is a ripple effect in which not only the unvaccinated child suffers from the disease, but now anyone who comes in contact with the infected child is more likely to carry the germ and spread the disease- causing an