Essay Example on Vaccine Uncertainty: Healthcare Providers Must Address the Growing Concern

Introduction

Vaccines are used mostly as the most successful interventions for public health against infectious diseases. Vaccine uncertainty has escalated all over the world with successive vaccination rates decrease, and the eruption of conditions that can be prevented by vaccines in various developed states (Paterson et al., 2016). There is evidence in some countries for parents or guardians rejecting or delaying prescribed vaccination for children. Providers of healthcare should address vaccine uncertainty by listening to parents’ concerns and analyzing challenges associated with rejecting or denying vaccines. The paper provides an analysis of a young family’s vaccine hesitancy, followed by a health’s social determinant concerning vaccine hesitancy. Nursing strategies that could be utilized to encourage the family’s health about vaccine uncertainty are also outlined.

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Impacts

It is natural for every parent to want to protect their child from any threats. While the health sector in every region is dedicated to ensuring children’s health safety through vaccination, many parents around the globe have become hesitant. Several negative impacts come as a result of not vaccinating a child. However, the consequences do not only affect children but young families who are on the childbearing stage. According to World Health Organization data, there has been a 30% increase in measles-cases globally. A large number of the 30% increase is due to vaccine hesitancy by parents. Declining of vaccines among children and even among individuals of childbearing age has led to various outcomes (Paterson et al., 2016). Some of these consequences include the increase of numerous disease outbreaks.

Outbreaks of diseases such as pneumococcal disease, measles, varicella, and even pertussis among young children have been shown to have increased around the globe mainly due to vaccine hesitancy (McClure et al., 2017). Diseases such as measles, which can be prevented through vaccination has caused suffering and even death among most unvaccinated children. If vaccine hesitancy among parents continues to increase, then the rate of child mortality will inevitably arise. According to the World Health Organization, around 1.3 million more deaths can be avoided every year if people are keen on vaccinations worldwide. Vaccine hesitancy is more common among young families or parents of the current generation. Young families with parents who refuse to vaccinate their children for one reason or the other are the most affected with infant mortality rate. Young children under five years old mostly have a weak immune system; therefore, not vaccinating them against fatal diseases is a very high risk.

Determinants

Various health determinants are crucial for the improvement of the health sector, especially vaccination. Determinants of health include Social factors, Health services, biology, and genetics, among other determinants (Hotez et al., 2020). Social determinants of health are considered to be among the essential determinants in the health sector. Social determinants of health analyze the condition of the environment one is born in or live in. The availability of resources, such as education and social norms, is among the factors relevant to vaccine hesitancy in the health sector. Poor knowledge has contributed to vaccine hesitancy because not many people understand the importance of vaccination because there is not enough awareness that has been done. Social norms are also a significant contributor to the rise in vaccination hesitancy among young families. There are many cultural beliefs, especially in the African region, that do not allow vaccination of infants. Many societies believe in ancient or herbal medicine and not in modern medicine, which entails vaccines. These social norms have led to many young families to be hesitant about vaccination of their children.

Nursing Literature

Family-centered care (FCC) is perceived as a vital idea in providing excellent nursing assistance for families and their children. However, the implementation of family-centered care is still a problem all over the world. Most, if not all families, are willing to aid in their children’s care, but they need proper support and direction from nurses. Expectations that are hidden and unclear responsibilities are demanding for families. Nurses should be well trained, have sufficient resources, and supervisory support to appropriately attain family needs, to develop accurate collaboration (Paterson et al., 2016). The dependence of nurses on family involvement in care delivery proposes that FCC, as it is experienced, is about work governance.

Nursing Strategies

Evidence shows that various factors influence the ability to effectively bringing a centered family concentration to the services of nursing. Research shows that utilizing an approach that is family-centered to healthcare improves the quality of care and provides prominent patient contentment with services. When these services operate, families feel esteemed, able to communicate openly, and have a feeling of true partnership and alliance with nurses. Nurses are confronted to use a vast communication range, involvement, and observational skills, in an attempt to form associations with families. The solution to active family engagements is by acknowledging that all parties bring their knowledge to the collaboration (Kaakinen et al., 2018). Nurses have to establish themselves as an anchor rather than a power, to increase interconnection with families and enhance useful results. When it comes to matters concerning health promotion, like vaccine hesitancy, nurses expected to have many competencies. Apart from teamwork, time management, and ethical use of information sources, nurses to communicate effectively and be aware of social issues that influence lifestyle and health. With the many competencies, it is essential for nurses working with families to realize when they require support. The support may take the form of advice or extra training.

Every parent or guardian desires to protect their children from any risks and threats, more so their health. The healthcare system around the world has put more effort into promoting the health of young families, but parents have become hesitant in their children’s vaccination. With parents hesitating about immunization, the number of various vaccination diseases has increased globally due to vaccine hesitancy. There are numerous determinants of health for improvement in vaccination. The most influential determinants of health are social ones. Nursing literature is vital in providing excellent nursing help for children and their families. Nurses have to undergo thorough training to collaborate and communicate with young families effectively. For effective nursing practices to young families, there are various strategies that nurses should employ in their collaboration with such families (Kaakinen et al., 2018).

Draft

The essay has begun by introducing the importance of vaccines and an overview of vaccine hesitancy. The article has revealed that there are continuous complete acceptance and total rejection of some vaccines. Despite vaccination regarded as among the most efficient public health considerations, many people see it as unnecessary and risky (Lorini et al., 2018). The absence of confidence in vaccines results in it considered a threat to the effectiveness of vaccination initiatives. The essay has also outlined the behaviors answerable vaccine uncertainty. Vaccine hesitancy is trusted to be accountable for reduced vaccine exploration and an elevated threat of vaccine-preventable epidemics. The essay talks about the general overview of the vaccine uncertainty phenomenon. Vaccine hesitance impacts have been discussed in the article also.

Firstly, a discussion of the characteristics of vaccine uncertainty and probable causes of increased vaccine hesitancy is suggested in the report. In the essay, an outline of the idea that vaccine hesitance has more harm than good is evident. Causes of vaccine hesitancy, which include environmental factors, have been outlined in the article. Determinants of personal decision-making concerning vaccination have also been discussed. Some of the determinants covered in the essay are social determinants that are considered to be among the critical determinants in the healthcare system. Social norms have been regarded to be significant contributors to vaccine uncertainty in many young and growing families (Lorini et al., 2018). The essay has also incorporated professional nursing literature, where there is an outline of the implementation of family-centered care. The article discusses nursing strategies for proper family care. There are several nursing strategies discussed, like proper communication and improved interconnection of nurses and young families. The right counseling for vaccines is proved in the essay to improve vaccination attitudes, such as standard net-based exploration. The article concludes by looking at all areas covered by giving a summary of the main points.

References

Hotez, P. J., Nuzhath, T., & Colwell, B. (2020). Combating vaccine hesitancy and other 21st century social determinants in the global fight against measles. Current Opinion in Virology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coviro.2020.01.001

Kaakinen, J. R., Coehlo, D. P., Steele, R., & Robinson, M. (2018). Family health care nursing: Theory, practice, and research. FA Davis. https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=wNFJDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&dq=Kaakinen,+J.+R.,+Coehlo,+D.+P.,+Steele,+R.,+%26+Robinson,+M.+(2018).+Family+health+care+nursing:+Theory,+practice,+and+research.+FA+Davis.&ots=28nNqj6vi0&sig=LYGGt19IDlz6E75kNbDi0sum4Hs&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Kaakinen%2C%20J.%20R.%2C%20Coehlo%2C%20D.%20P.%2C%20Steele%2C%20R.%2C%20%26%20Robinson%2C%20M.%20(2018).%20Family%20health%20care%20nursing%3A%20Theory%2C%20practice%2C%20and%20research.%20FA%20Davis.&f=false

Karras, J., Dubé, E., Danchin, M., Kaufman, J., & Seale, H. (2019). A scoping review examining the availability of dialogue-based resources to support healthcare provider’s engagement with vaccine-hesitant individuals. Vaccine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.09.039

McClure, C. C., Cataldi, J. R., & O’Leary, S. T. (2017). Vaccine hesitancy: where we are and where we are going. Clinical therapeutics, 39(8). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinthera.2017.07.003

Paterson, P., Maurice, F., Stanberry, L. R., Glismann, S., Rosenthal, S. L., & Larson, H. J. (2016). Vaccine hesitancy and healthcare providers. Vaccine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.10.042