...42.5%. Being the prevalence among 20-24 years old women equal to 53.8%. Thus, an important public health...
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...Immunization is a very controversial topic including the issue of mandatory flu vaccination for front-line health care workers. Health care workers are the front-line workers to whom patients are first exposed to during the initial encounter to medical system. Influenza is commonly referred to as the seasonal flu which strikes 5% to 15% of the world’s population with approximately 3 to 5 million severe cases of illness which leads to 250000 to 500000 deaths annually (World Health Organization [WHO], 2014). In addition, hospital acquired influenza has a 16% mortality rate which increases to 60% in high-risk population groups (Cortes-Penfield, 2014). Specifically in Canada, the average rate of influenza infection is 10% to 20% of the population...
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...Should Vaccinations be Made Mandatory for Children? Throughout history, there have been many deadly diseases and viruses that have plagued humanity, killing thousands - even millions. Since vaccination techniques and practices started appearing during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, diseases such as smallpox, polio, and yellow fever have nearly been wiped out, proving that vaccinations are effective in preventing the spread of disease and virus. Smallpox has been officially eradicated, and polio cases have decreased by over 99% since 1989 (World Health Organization, 2015). In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends getting 28 doses of 10 vaccines for kids aged 0 to 6, however, there are currently no federal laws that mandate vaccination for all children (CDC, 2015). Immunizations keep our children safe, healthy, and most importantly, alive. Despite the high success rate and plethora of benefits of immunization, not everyone is on board. Though there is high pressure for children to be vaccinated, and all 50 states...
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...Since the 1980’s, the quantity of vaccinations that children most receive has doubled, and in that same time autism diagnoses have tripled. Studies have shown that some children have suffered from both autism like developmental disorders and intestinal symptoms that include inflammation, pain and bloating. It has been reported kids started showing signs of autism days after getting the MMR vaccine. With this said, cases established a link between vaccines and autism implying that exposure to the measles virus could be a causal factor to children’s autism. This has alarmed parents to begin to question whether they should immunize their children or not. There are many people who feel that the immunizations do more harm than good. These same people believe that the diseases for which vaccinations are given are not something that they have to worry about. They believe that these issues have been gone for so long that there would be no chance of them coming back in full force. Next, Vaccinations have also long been the subject of various ethical controversies. The main ethical debates related to vaccine regulation, developmental and the usage of research and testing along with parents to be forced upon mandates of governmental laws for school attendance and enrollment. Many argue this comes into their right of religious and philosophical viewpoints with arising conflicts all around. For instance, in an effort to protect the most number of people, public health regulations may breach upon...
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...Mandatory Influenza Vaccinations Review Shumetria Cleveland English 321 Mandatory Influenza Vaccinations Review Introduction Influenza is a highly, contagious virus that affects the respiratory system. It is transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets by an infected person coughing or sneezing. Influenza is much more serious than the common cold and is preventable. Good hand washing, covering your cough, and good health habits will prevent the spread of influenza and other respiratory diseases. It is onset by chills, fatigue, high fever, cough, sore throat, and body aches are some sign or symptoms of influenza often referred to as the flu. The incubation period is one to four days. Each year, influenza causes a significant increase in illness and death. In the elderly, children, patients with chronic illness and immune compromised disease. Once in a while the influenza changes to a severe disease. In the early 1900 there was a pandemic that killed approximately 20,000,000 people. Scientist later discovered the bacterial that causes the virus by testing the blood. Today physicians are able to keep the bacterial infections under control with antibiotics. In 2009 the swine flu epidemic caused illness, stole lives and flashed a light on health care workers to get mandatory influenza vaccinations. Some institutions, for the first time, implemented policies for mandatory influenza vaccines for health care workers due to the escalation of the swine flu...
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...paternalism, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. The prospect of encountering a deadly pandemic such as that in Contagion, can create an overwhelming healthcare and community concern. The preparation for and response to an unusual turn of events of this magnitude requires goals that aim to benefit the community, as a whole. This involves an ethical viewpoint based on utilitarianism, with a primary focus on the good of the community, as opposed to the typical medical ethical view that focuses on the individual autonomy of patients. Ethics based on this notion of utility will most indeed pose a conflict between the community and the health of the individuals who make up that community. This paper will consider the moral issues from a public health viewpoint presented in the movie Contagion. The basis for determining how to address and contain the MEV-1 virus relies on a utilitarian view. The primary belief of those who have adopted the utilitarian position is that the most ethical action is the one that results in the greatest good for the greatest number; the most...
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...philosophical reasons, or should parents be forced to have their children immunized for the good of society?" Thesis statement: “Since vaccines have been invented, there has been a lot of controversy regarding the belief whether parents should immunize their children for the benefit of the society or withhold vaccines for personal reasons”. Introduction: It is inevitable that media, especially tabloids and articles play a big role in shaping the beliefs, practices and norms of the society. Immunization, which is also known as vaccination is one of the most controversial debates that evokes different opinions among the general public. Since vaccines have been invented, there has been a lot of controversy regarding the belief whether parents should immunize their children for the benefit of the society or withhold vaccines for personal reasons. During the last couple of months, the Disneyland Measles outbreak has been one of the hottest and most controversial news in the nation. According to writer and news announcer Rath of National Public Relations (2015), it was reported that since December 2014, roughly 80 people in the Unites States have been confirmed to have measles. Seventy percent of the affected individuals were allegedly the ones who visited the Disneyland theme park. It was discovered that at least 28 of these victims had not received the measles vaccine. Because of this heartbreaking news, different opinions and statements from people nationwide came about. Body...
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... effectiveness, and safety of childhood immunizations. The major argument is whether or not laws should be established to declare vaccination mandatory for all children. “The US food and Drug administration (FDA) regulates all vaccines to ensure safety and effectiveness,” (ProCon.org, 2012) therefor there should not be any reason to risk the health of any child. Vaccinating our children not only ensures their safety but also that of their future to come. The first major concern parents have when it comes to childhood vaccinations is that of the health and safety of their children. Some parents believe that vaccines were developed to help the spread against dangerous transmittable diseases. Other parents are under the impression that vaccines themselves present high risk factors for their children. Both have strong arguing points in this controversy and have good reason to believe in what they do. Proponents argue and the facts clearly show that since the emergence of vaccines in the twentieth century for common life threatening diseases, such as measles and diphtheria, the related number of deaths has decreased by more than 500%. On the other side, opponents argue that childhood vaccines are responsible for the dramatic increase of autoimmune diseases. Many proponents argue that childhood vaccination is vital and should be a state requirement not a parental option. They feel that vaccines are a necessity that should be required for the safety and future of all mankind...
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...which they mandate some level of compulsory vaccinations for its citizens. In order for a child to attend public schools, they must receive all required vaccinations. Throughout history, many have disagreed and opposed vaccinations for various reasons. Many of the citizens do not believe that vaccines mandates to be constitutional. Also, many do not believe the state legislatures have the power to require everyone to receive certain vaccinations and view the authority as a violation of their constitutional rights. Recently, there has been an increase in people who are against to vaccinations as a possible factor to Autism in children. Also, religious beliefs play a role in opposing vaccinations for themselves and their children. These have built anger and opposition to the states mandates of some vaccinations. In 1813, United States Vaccine Agency was established. “The U.S. Congress authorized and James Madison signed ‘An Act to Encourage Vaccination,’ establishing a National Vaccine Agency” (History of Vaccines RSS). This Act was the first push by the United States for citizens to get vaccinated. In 1855, Massachusetts was the first state that passed a law for vaccinations for all children that is attending school (History of Vaccines RSS). Passing laws for vaccinations brought more dispute and oppositions to vaccines, as well as, oppositions to vaccine requirements. By 1922, many United States schools required smallpox vaccination before children...
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...The recent United States measles epidemic has sparked another contentious national discussion about childhood vaccination. A growing number of parents are expressing concerns about the safety of vaccines, often fueled by misinformation from the internet, books, and other nonmedical sources. Many of these concerned parents are choosing to refuse or delay childhood vaccines, placing their children and surrounding communities at risk for serious diseases that are nearly 100% preventable with vaccination. Between 10% and 15% of parents are asking physicians to space out the timing of vaccines, which often poses an ethical dilemma for physicians. This trend reflects a tension between personal liberty and public health, as parents fight to control...
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...In recent years, a wave of anti-vaccination beliefs has been sweeping the nation. However, vaccines “protect us from diseases that used to routinely kill hundreds of thousands of children in the United States and still kill hundreds of thousands globally” (University of Pennsylvania, 2012). Even with this knowledge, many parents have refused to vaccinate their children over fears of side effects, but this has created a significant health risk for the greater public and those more at risk, such as children too young for vaccines and the elderly. Much of the anti-vaccination sentiment is based on misinformation and uninformed positions. Vaccines have benefited humanity greatly and the only thing to outperform the benefits of vaccines to public health is clean water (Andre, Booy, Bock, Clemens, Datta & John et al., 2008). Vaccinations are an essential part of disease prevention as when children are not vaccinated, they can spread diseases to others and face serious health risks of their own from vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccines rely on a herd, meaning that they are only very effective if nearly everyone receives them. This helps to eradicate the diseases from the bulk of the population, making it very unlikely that at-risk and unvaccinated individuals would be exposed to the diseases. As a result, the more unvaccinated people there are, the greater the risk of an outbreak. Therefore, “if a high number of children go intentionally unvaccinated because of personal belief...
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...Facts 1. In the past 60 years, vaccines have helped eradicate one disease (smallpox) and are close to eradicating another (polio). 2. Vaccines currently help prevent more than 2.5 million deaths each year. 3. The impact of child vaccines is magnified when used in conjunction with other health efforts, including with things such as antibiotics, oral rehydration salts, bed nets, and vitamins. 4. New and underutilized vaccines could avert nearly 4 million child deaths under the age of 5 by 2015. 5. Vaccines cause “herd immunity”—if a majority of people in a community have been vaccinated against a disease, an unvaccinated person is less likely to get sick because others are less likely to get sick from and spread that disease. 6. Vaccines helped reduce measles deaths globally by 78% between 2000 and 2008; in sub-Saharan Africa, deaths dropped by 92% in the same period. 7. Vaccines exist that could stop rotavirus and pneumonia, two problems that kill nearly 3 million children under 5 each year. 8. New or improved vaccines are currently being developed for HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases. Researchers estimate that a viable malaria vaccine could be ready for children in the developing world as early as 2015. 9. Not all vaccines are given as shots; vaccines for rotavirus and polio, for instance, are given orally. 10. The GAVI Alliance has supported the immunization of more than 288 million children and as a result...
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...Vaccines should be mandatory The invention of the vaccinations has been one of the greatest health interventions, saving millions of people from infectious diseases (Ehreth, 2002). The vaccine program has had extraordinary success in decreasing the spread of preventable diseases (Zimmerman, 2000). Research shows vaccines are safe, provide a way to protect your child and society, and help avoid wide spread disease. Vaccines are not completely 100% safe, but it is safer than the infectious disease it is preventing (Concerns about vaccine safety, 2009). With any drugs, there are side effects, but serious ones are rare (Concerns about vaccine safety, 2009). Children are given vaccines at an early age when other development issues also come to light, and vaccines are given the blame (Concerns about vaccine safety, 2009). It is a coincidence that those developmental issues have surfaced at the same time. Most developmental issues surface in early childhood. Vaccine side effects are very rare. Before a new vaccine can be administered, vaccines endure many years of testing, making vaccines even safer (Wharton el al, 2001). Making the side effects even rarer. In 1999 most childhood vaccinations were reformulated to not contain Thirmosal as a preservative. Thimosal is 50% mercury containing organic compound most widely used in vaccines. It was used as a preservative in vaccines starting in the 1930’s. It has since been removed from vaccines for children...
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...First, the public health nurse must investigate potential reasons for immunization rejection. If public reasoning is misinformed, it is the nurse’s duty to educate the public on the importance of vaccinations to the individual, the family, and the community as a whole. On a larger scale, vaccinations should be made affordable and widely available. Community members should be informed of and encouraged to get immunized through public service announcements, flyers, and pharmacy posters. HIV Testing Similar to the immunization issue, the first step is to investigate the cause of low HIV testing in the area. The second step is addressing the cause either through education, an intervention, or both. Stigma around HIV and AIDS is a topic that’s likely to come up, especially given the prevalent middle-aged population of the Bay Ridge community. Another factor is access: HIV testing should be readily available and affordable. The public health nurse can collaborate with local clinics and healthcare facilities to spread information about the importance of HIV...
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...Continuing Vaccination Question As young Americans living in the twenty first century, vaccines have always had a place in our lives. It is taught to us at a young age that vaccines are not only beneficial but necessary to the pursuit of healthy and long lives. For decades, we have been giving vaccines to ourselves and our children without question because the doctors say we should and they have the education, not us. The number of vaccines that children are mandated to receive continues to rise at an alarming rate. Currently, children receive approximately fourteen different vaccinations before the age of two Many of these vaccinations require multiple inoculations, which often have a child receiving four more shots in a single visit (Akinsanya-Beysolow). Every year, more vaccines are added to the list. With the speed of vaccine approval, it is time to step back and reevaluate who is making these recommendations and for what reasons. The cost to vaccinate a child from birth to eighteen has risen from one hundred dollars in1986 to $2,192 (Rosenthal). Vaccine manufacturing is a huge business with a vested interest in mandating vaccines. The decision to vaccinate should be left to the patient and parents, not the government or vaccine manufacturers. Data shows that even before vaccines most of the diseases we vaccinate for were on the decline (Obomsawin). Childhood illness rates have been on a steady increase over the last few decades. As the childhood vaccination list grows...
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