Recently, the global community has witnessed a spread of the anti-vaccination movement the followers of which refuse to immunize their children upon birth, citing allergic reactions. Some groups go as far as denying the progress of public health brought on by vaccines. Although studies questioning the immunization benefits exist, the majority of the scientific community agrees on the safety of most existing treatments. Termed “anti-vax”, the movement has been recognized by the World Health Organization as a danger to global health (“Ten Health Issues”).
The first vaccine hesitation wave of the 1990s triggered numerous worldwide epidemics of measles, a contagious infectious viral disease. Fortunately, the condition is vaccine-preventable, as over 80% of the lethal outcomes have been eradicated since the first outbreak in the 1980s (GBD 2015 Mortality Collaborators 1482). Because of its easily spreadable nature, measles has been a public health concern and required mandatory immunization in many countries since then.
The disease affects 91% of all unvaccinated people, sometimes resulting in serious complications, including but not limited to pneumonia, diarrhea, seizures, and even blindness (Atkinson et al. 210, 216). Since 2017, the death toll for measles-affected populations has been rising due to the mass-following of the anti-vaccination movement and presents a serious threat to global health (“Measles Cases Spike Globally”). Since anti-vaccination is a complex problem, it requires an ecological framework approach to solve it.
Focusing on the US as the sample population, one can rely on the interaction of the model’s components (personal, interpersonal, organizational, community, policy) to achieve the desired result (Balcazar et al. para. 9). Firstly, “pro-vaccination” activists need to ensure full comprehension of the problem and its solution. That is, they need to know both sides of the story, analyzing which side lies closer to the truth, and focusing on that as their message.
Next, activists need to use their network to pass their knowledge. For instance, they could share recent findings of vaccination-related research, such as the life-long stabilization of health systems of a treated person as well as the effectiveness of the method overall (Wilder-Smith et al. 138). Spreading truthful information would encourage others to reconsider their views, perpetuating the correct stance across the person’s network.
Furthermore, as the problem moves onto the organizational level, it affects individuals otherwise not reached in intrapersonal interactions. Organizations can educate the population about the vitality of immunization. Apart from hosting information sessions and seminars, they can partner with institutions and offer free vaccinations. Similarly, such organizations can tackle the community level, spreading their message until the understanding becomes collective. Then, the network effect is likely to take place through the individual members of the group, and information to expand onto adjacent communities or neighborhoods.
The last is the policy level, which might be the most effective way of addressing the anti-vaccination upheaval. Some countries already have a policy of mandatory immunizations required to enter any educational institution or corporation. As most public and private educational institutions already require a vaccination record, the government needs to address home-schooled or self-employed populations. While it is hard to reach families that refrain from public or private schools, unvaccinated individuals will likely encounter some individual-institution interaction eventually. Since most people in the US rely on health insurance, it is logical to make vaccination a qualifier for purchase. Similarly, any affiliation with defined communities like gyms should encourage the record of immunization to ensure the safety of its members.
Thus, the above analysis addressed the issue of anti-vaccination and its possible outcome such as the measles outbreaks, in the US and worldwide. Vaccine hesitancy is a dangerous problem that sometimes carries heavy, and even lethal consequences, and can become a national emergency. Therefore, it is vital to address the issue on multiple levels to reverse or stop the movement, ensuring greater security of public health.
Works Cited
Atkinson, William, et al., editors. Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. 12th ed., Public Health Foundation, 2015.
Balcázar, Hector, et al. “An Ecological Model Using Promotores De Salud To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease on the US-Mexico Border: The HEART Project.” Preventative Chronic Disease, vol. 9, 2012, p. E35.
GBD 2015 Mortality and Causes of Death Collaborators. “Global, Regional, and National Life Expectancy, All-Cause Mortality, and Cause-Specific Mortality for 249 Causes of Death, 1980-2015: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015.” Lancet (London, England), vol. 388, no. 10053, 2016 pp. 1459-1544.
“Measles Cases Spike Globally Due to Gaps in Vaccination Coverage.” World Health Organization. 2018. Web.
“Ten Threats to Global Health In 2019.” World Health Organization. Web.
Wilder-Smith, Annelies., et al. “The Public Health Value of Vaccines beyond Efficacy: Methods, Measures and Outcomes.” BMC Medicine, vol. 15, no. 1, 2017, p. 138.