Peer Responses:
Length: A minimum of 150 words per post, not including references
Citations: At least one high-level scholarly reference in APA per post from within the last 5 years
Context: Nursing in the USA
NOTE: My Peers original assignment was: Locate current evidence based literature discussing the pros and cons of vaccinations. Include the controversy and how to approach a patient with inquires over the safeness of vaccination.
T5 W1 D1 R1
Vaccinations are one of the most controversial topics worldwide due to misinformation provided by the media such as Facebook, Twitter, and anti-vaccine supporters. Vaccination misinformation is associated with serious public health consequences, such as a decrease in vaccination rates and a risk of disease outbreaks such as the recent measles outbreak (Steffens, Dunn, Wiley, & Leask, 2019). Due to the increase of anti-vaccination movements, public health is at threat.
Pro Vaccination
The use of vaccines helps save lives; according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, most childhood vaccines are 90%-99% effective in preventing diseases. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that 732,000 American children were saved from death, and 322 million cases of childhood illnesses were prevented between 1994 and 2014 due to vaccination disability (ProCon.org, 2019). Vaccines help prevent outbreaks from occurring and can help protect future generations. Furthermore, it has been shown that vaccines provide an economic benefit to society in preventing lost productivity and disability.
Con Vaccination
Many parents are against vaccines because of the severe side effects. According to the National Vaccines Information Center (NVIC), it states that vaccines can be linked to learning disabilities, asthma, autism, diabetes, chronic inflammation, and other disabilities (ProCon.org, 2019). Many parents who are against vaccines believe that the government should not be allowed to make medical decisions for their children.
The best way to approach a patient with inquiries over the safeness of vaccination is through education, facts, and evidence that support the importance of vaccines in the prevention of disease. I would acknowledge the patient concerns that no vaccination is a hundred percent safe, and there are always risks; however, diseases have not disappeared, and vaccines are needed to prevent disease. Research has shown that even parents favorable to vaccinations can be confused by the ongoing debate, leading them to question their choices. Many parents lack basic knowledge of how vaccines work, and dont have access to accurate information explaining the importance of the process (Hussain, Ali, & Ahmed, 2018). I would provide information on vaccine safety and ensure that the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risk so that the parent can make the best-informed decision for their child.
References
CDC, Possible Side-Effects from Vaccines, cdc.gov, Feb. 4, 2014
Hussain A, Ali S, Ahmed M, et al. (July 03, 2018) The Anti-Vaccination Movement: A Regression in Modern Medicine. Cureus 10(7): e2919. doi:10.7759/cureus.2919
Pluviano, S., Watt, C., Ragazzini, G., & Della Sala, S. (2019, August). Parents’ beliefs in misinformation about vaccines are strengthened by pro-vaccine campaigns. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30963330.
ProCon.org. (2019, May 17). FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). Retrieved from http://www.procon.org/faqs.php
Steffens, M. S., Dunn, A. G., Wiley, K. E., & Leask, J. (2019, October 23). How organizations promoting vaccination respond to misinformation on social media: a qualitative investigation. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6806569/.
