Immunisation rates in Australia

Running head: Immunisation rates in Australia 1
Immunisation rates in Australia
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Immunisation rates in Australia 2
Immunisation rates in Australia
Introduction
Immunisation is among the most effective and safest ways of stopping avoidable ailments from
spreading. In Australia, Immunisation is recommended from an early age for all kids. Having
their child immunized aids parents protect them from a broad range of severe diseases, some of
which can be fatal (Vann, Jacobson, Coyne‐Beasley, Asafu‐Adjei, & Szilagyi, 2018). This easy
will look at; the current rates of Immunisation in Australia, policies that are put in place to
increase these rates, a relevant economic theory to show how a policy that increases
Immunisation rates could result in a socially efficient level of Immunisation rates, government
Immunisation subsidies, and effectiveness of government intervention to Immunisation in
correcting marketing failure.
Body 1
Immunisation in Australia is among the leading vital public health interventions in the last 200
years, offering a secure and efficient way to avert the spread of various ailments that cause
hospitalization, severe continuing health conditions and at times death. Immunisation coverage
for children between the ages of 1-5 years old has since 2008 increased sharply. Though
Australia has not yet attained its inspirational target of 95%, it is close to it (Australian
Government Department of Health, 2018).
 Coverage rates for all 1 year olds is 94.02%
 Coverage rates for all 2 year olds is 90.63%
 Coverage rates for all 5 year olds is94.62%

Immunisation rates in Australia 3
Figure 1: immunization coverage rates
Currently, the Australian Government has initiated parenting payments and Centrelink payments
policy which is meant to provide financial aid to parents. There are different types of payments
covered under this policy such as Child Care Benefit, Child Care Rebate, and Family Tax
Benefit (Part A&B). In Child Care Benefit (CCB), government provides payments to children at
the age of 7 who have met Australian Immunisation requirements. Child Care Rebate (CCR), on
the other hand, is a non-means tested payment made by the government which aids working
families to meet the cost of child care specifically immunization. Family Tax Benefit is payment
made by the Australian Government to eligible parents as a subsidy cost of raising children, for
instance Immunisation (Taxpayers Australia Inc, 2014).
Body 2
Behavioral economic theory is an effective strategy of promoting immunization. Faced with
outbreaks of infections and other vaccine-preventable sicknesses; policymakers, parents,
educators, and health providers around the globe often intent to know how to persuade people to
get their immunizations (Roberto, & Kawachi, 2015). Specialists have proven that a policy that
focuses directly on shaping patient’s behavior instead of attempting to change his/her mind is
more effective in increasing Immunisation rates. Behavioral economic theory, in regards to
Immunisation asserts that it is easy to persuade people to get immunized or take their children for
this medication. The most effective Immunisation intervention policy employs behavioral
strategies to:
Facilitate action: By offering patients with prompts and reminders.
Reduce barriers: By setting non-payment appointments and orders
Shape behavior: By developing requirements, sanctions, and incentives.
With proper integration of behavioral economic theory as a lens for understanding the factors
that motivate vaccination, it will be easy for policymakers to attain socially efficient level of
Immunisation rates (Bloom, & Gullotta, 2018).
Government subsidies increase Immunisation rates to a socially efficient level in various ways.
They, for example, develop incentives for the development of new vaccines by giving producers
a reassurance of sufficient returns and pricing for those vaccines which bestow significant public
benefit (Anderson, et al, 2018). Subsidies also lessen the responsibility of government in buying
vaccines and circumvent impediments now associated with protracted contract negotiations,