Vaccine Safety and Public Health

This assignment delves into the debate surrounding vaccine safety. It presents the WHO's stance on vaccination, acknowledging its safety while addressing concerns raised about potential harm from flu vaccines containing elements linked to autism in adults. The text highlights that ingredients are safe in the quantities used in vaccines and emphasizes their continuous monitoring by organizations like the CDC and FDA. The assignment also includes a list of references from books, journals, and online sources supporting various viewpoints on vaccine safety.

Critical
Analysis

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Approaches ..........................................1
Use of this approaches on the vaccination..................................................................................2
Reflection of participation in the debate.....................................................................................3
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Parents who choose vaccination for their children wants to protect them from any serious
health problem. In order to make sure that their children are healthy and secured from diseases
such as measles, brain damage, mumps etc, vaccination need to be given by parents to the
children (Whitney and Schuchat, 2014). The children will be protected from the infectious
diseases if vaccination is being given to them by parents This report will represent the critical
analysis of application of quantitative and qualitative approaches on the chosen subject.
Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Research approaches
Qualitative research can be used to gain insight into the problems or assists in the
development of plans and ideas. In order to uncover hidden trends in thoughts, opinions,
motivation, attitude and drive deeper into the issue, qualitative research can be used. The
unstructured or semi-structured techniques can be used for quantitative data collection (Creswell
and Poth, 2017).
The common methods that can be used to conduct qualitative research includes
observations, individual interviews, and focus groups. In contrast, to this Quantitative research is
used to specify the issue by producing data into numbers or by converting data into usable
statistics. From a large sample of population, it produces results by using quantify attitudes,
opinions, behaviours and other defined variables. The facts and uncovered patterns in research
can be formed with quantitative research which make use of measurable data (Horne, Powell
and Holyoak, 2015).
In comparison with qualitative data collection methods, quantitative collection methods
are much more structured. Various forms of surveys are included in the quantitative data
collection such as online surveys, mobile surveys, face to face interview, online polls and
systematic observation. For analysis the elements that is used by qualitative approach are words,
pictures and objects, in contrast to this the data that is used by quantitative research to analyse
data is numerical data (Ichinose and Kurisaku, 2017).
The results that are obtained from the analysis of data helps to develop an initial
understanding in terms of qualitative approach whereas in quantitative approach a final course of
action is recommended.
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Qualitative methods of research are complex analysis that are characterized by processes
that cannot be practically evaluated or measured in terms of arithmetic measurements. However,
Quantitative research is dependent on various procedures and methods of mathematics such as
amount, frequency and statistical tools. The techniques that can be used for analysing qualitative
dataset can be Thematic perception test. In comparison to this, technique that can be used for
quantitative data set can be SPSS. The main objective of qualitative approach is to gain
understanding of phenomena by making use of data. In contrast to this quantitative approach
purpose is to make a prediction and control phenomena through a collection of numeric data
(Katherine and et.al., 2014).
When large amount of numerical data needs to be analysed then quantitative research can
be used as it converts the data into statistics, in comparison to this qualitative research can be
utilized when the data cannot be transformed into numbers and instead it need to be categorised.
Use of this approaches on the vaccination
Qualitative approaches
By making use of routine vaccination programs in high income countries like Australia
vaccine-preventable diseases have been greatly reduced (Rosen, Ashwood and Richardson,
2016). But despite its success, there are still many parents who deny providing vaccination for
their children (Department of health Australia, 2017). So, a study was conducted by making use
of online focus group in Australia
Methods
In total, nine online focus groups (n=60) in which the Australian parents were included
with at most one child, aged from 0-5 years for whom vaccination was denied or part of it under
immunization program. An analysis was conducted to address the cause that influenced
judgment of parents to refuse vaccination (Luyten and Beutels, 2016).
Results
Multiple components that include lifestyle of family was found as one of the reason for
refusal of vaccination. Various perceptions related to the body of child and immune system,
efficiency of vaccine and its sides effects and social environment are the factors leading to
refusal of vaccination by the families. In order to provide a meaningful data, the use of online
focus groups proved to be effective in qualitative research.
Conclusion
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For this group of parents, the information that is provided by the immunization program
is not sufficient. More trust in this program can result in the increase in parental understanding of
lifestyle and disease susceptibility, impact of vaccinations on the immune system.
Quantitative approaches
A quantitative research was conducted with Australian parents in order to understand
their views and information needs related with childhood immunization (Manski,
2017). Telephonic interviews were conducted with a sample of about 1,890 Australian parents
for those who have at least one child at the age of 16. These questions were framed to address the
Australian parent knowledge, awareness, attitude and behaviour related to vaccination.
Eight in ten parents indicated that their child's vaccination is up to date while two in ten
reported that their child has missed at least one of the recommended vaccination. The vaccines
that have been missed by the families include chicken pox, seasonal flu. The parents who missed
out their child vaccination said that vaccines are not necessary enough as the human body is able
enough to care for itself.
The survey also represented the incidence of HPV vaccination and attitudes of parents
towards this vaccine. In each household there is at least one girl that is suitable to acquire the
HPV vaccine, more than half of the parents reported that their daughters have been received the
vaccine (McCormick and et.al.,2016). Another 30 percent of parents who had not vaccinated
their daughters indicated that they would do this in upcoming time period. The primary driver for
most parents to vaccinate against HPV is the protection against cancer.
The familiarity with childhood vaccines was reported by parents at various levels, high
familiarity was responded by half of the respondents . Only 5 percent of parents were having
restricted knowledge regarding vaccines of children. Most of the parents believed that
vaccination is effective and essential for the health of their children. Vaccination related to
diseases such as measles, tetanus are highly important.
The most parents feels that they are well equipped to make decisions related to
vaccination of their children and while most of them thinks that vaccination is essential, safe and
effective (Nyhan and et.al., 2014).
A SPSS tool was also used to find out how many people in Australia vaccinated their
children. And an it was concluded that half of the population residing there have vaccinated their
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children. But more awareness need to be made among people regarding the importance of
vaccination.
Reflection of participation in the debate
The participation in the debate had a huge impact on my personal and professional
growth. With this debate, I gained knowledge and developed my analysis approach by
comparing and contrasting the qualitative and quantitative approaches. I came across that various
benefits can be gained with vaccination. It is simple way that will grant protection to children
against some dangerous diseases. I also came across that in various countries such as America
vaccination is tested, approved and licensed before use. In order to make sure that vaccines do
not end up with negative affect, the human body I learnt that extensive testing on the vaccines
need to be done.
I also came across that parents do not want to vaccinate their children as they think that
vaccinations can have side effects on their children, such as there may be a risk of disease.
However, on the other side different scholars also try to convince parents to immunize their
children. I came across various studies in this debate which shows that most of the vaccination is
safe and the allergies that are caused because of vaccination is minor or rare. While at the same
time I came across that vaccine can contribute towards autism rates in children. However, some
scholars were against this claim. In the debate, I presented that vaccines are regularly tested in
order to make sure that they do not interfere with normal working of the body (Rosen, Ashwood
and Richardson, 2016).
With the various points discusses in the debate for and against the vaccination should be
given to children by parents I gained that vaccination is important for children as it will help the
immune system of the body to fight against various diseases. In this case vaccination will reduce
the impact of those particular diseases in the human body.
I also came across that due to condition such as environmental exposures, immune
deficiency vaccinations may not be 100% effective but they are the best solution to fight against
the fatal diseases. As various parents believe that immunization has side effects and due to which
they decide not to give vaccine to their children and they leave the health of their children to
nature. But this step of the parents can put the child at risk of contradicting into serious illness.
The debate that has been held had improved my research skills, analytical skills, critical thinking
skills. There were some barriers that I discovered at the time of debate as my research was not so
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good so I was not able to answer the questions that was asked to me by another people involved
in the debate
In the debate, I also came across that the lives of children can be saved with the help of
vaccination as most childhood vaccines are effective in protection of diseases. And the deaths
ratio due to vaccination of measles have decrease in large numbers. However, on the other side,
it had also represented that vaccines can be reason behind the effects of fatal disease in children.
A risk threatening allergies can be carried by all vaccines.
I have learned that vaccines can secure the future generations as vaccinated mother
secure the unborn child from any viruses that could cause defects in the birth. The chances of
passing the virus to their unborn or new-born child have been reduced as women giving birth is
vaccinated against rubella (Whitney and Schuchat, 2014). It had been stated by World Health
Organization(WHO) and various other medical organization that vaccination is safe. However,
on other hand it was represented that in the flu vaccine for children contain harmful element that
may cause autism in adults. In comparison to this, it was represented that ingredients can be
harmful in large quantities but in vaccines they are not used in harmful quantity. To ensure that
vaccines and the ingredients used in the vaccines are safe they are regularly monitored by the
CDC and FDA.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Barninghausen, T. & et.al., (2014). Valuing vaccination. 111(34).
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2017). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among
five approaches. Sage publications.
Horne, Z., Powell, D., & Holyoak, K. (2015). Countering antivaccination attitudes. Current
Issue. 112(33).
Ichinose, G., & Kurisaku, T. (2017). Positive and negative effects of social impact on
evolutionary vaccination game in networks. Physical A: Statistical Mechanics and its
Applications, 468, 84-90.
Katherine, A.G. & et.al., (2014). Safety, tolerability and side effects of human papillomavirus
vaccines: a systematic quantitative review. Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases. 18(6)
Luyten, J., & Beutels, P. (2016). The social value of vaccination programs: beyond cost-
effectiveness. Health Affairs. 35(2), 212-218.
Manski, C. F. (2017). Mandating vaccination with unknown indirect effects. Journal of Public
Economic Theory. 19(3), 603-619.
McCormick, B. Z. & et.al., (2016). Impact of Global HPV Vaccination for Male Genital Disease.
In Textbook of Penile Cancer (pp. 31-36). Springer, Cham.
Nyhan, B. & et.al., (2014). Effective Messages in Vaccine Promotion: A Randomized Trial.
American Academy of Paediatrics. 133 (4)
Rosen, B. L., Ashwood, D., & Richardson, G. B. (2016). School nurses’ professional practice in
the HPV vaccine decision-making process. The Journal of School Nursing. 32(2), 138-
148.
Whitney, C.G. & Schuchat, A. (2014). Benefits from Immunization During the Vaccines for
Children Program Era
Online
Department of health Australia. 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.immunise.health.gov.au//>. [Accessed on 8th September 2017].
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