Vaccine Uptake and Associated Challenges

Much of the pushback related to vaccine refusal has been due to a lack of parents accessing the right information about vaccines (Dempsey et al., 2006; Nagras 2015).  There have been arguments made against mandatory vaccination programs based on the likelihood of a high rate of morbidity and mortality (Javitt et al., 2008) occurring. For instance, unlike the human papilloma virus (HPV), measles is transmitted through droplet infection i.e. coughing and/or sneezing. HPV on the other hand is spread through the voluntary act of coitus. Javitt et al (2008) further argue that because primary and secondary preventive measures are available to prevent and treat HPV respectively, a mandatory vaccination program will be more of a burden than a benefit to society. Although the argument by Javitt et al., (2008) has some merit, there is no denying the fact that young people are often more inclined to indulge in risky health behaviors (Homma et al., 2012).

In addition to the ethical considerations for justifying various immunization programs as highlighted in this week’s readings, stakeholder education should not be ruled out as an added strategy of improving vaccine uptake. Studies suggest that education about the importance of vaccines is an effective (Whelan et al., 2014) and ethical (Nagras 2015) means of achieving positive health outcomes for the vulnerable population in question. In a retrospective correlational study, Whelan et al., (2014) investigated methods used by healthcare providers to encourage parental, youth and school participation in an HPV Immunization program. Public health nurses called parents to remind them of missed appointments and to obtain consent. Furthermore, nurses organized information sessions for parents and teachers mainly for educating them about HPV and vaccine efficacy. Out of 4312 students eligible for the program approximately 3219 actively participated yielding a response rate of 61.5% (Whelan et al., 2014). Of the total number of active participants, approximately 75% completed the three dose HPV vaccine series. Although the completion rate is less than the proportion required for herd immunity, it still represents a less coercive and balanced approach to increasing HPV vaccine uptake.