Running Head: IMPORTANCE OF VACCINES

The Importance of Vaccines for Improved Health Amongst Communities

Sadie Uri

Edina High School

Author Note

This research paper was written for my Pre-AP English 10 class taught by Ms. Roehl.
IMPORTANCE OF VACCINES

The Importance of Vaccines for Improved Health Amongst Communities

Every year, 2-3 million lives are saved and sustained due to vaccinations (Dowdy, 2015).

Vaccinations provide the body with immunization to diseases and allow one to live a healthy and

prolonged life (Action, 2015) . However, with the great skepticism and weariness about the

effects of vaccines, a growing number of parents have decided to end their vaccine usage

amongst themselves and their children (McGinley, 2016). Vaccinations provide lifelong benefits

for ones health, aiding immune systems and sustaining life. Yet, with the continually growing

distrust with vaccines among American parents, the usage has severely decreased. By doctors

refusing medical services to non-vaccinated patients and schools requiring vaccinations among

students, the problem of low vaccine usage will dissipate.

Background Information on Vaccines

Vaccinations are a way to ensure a strong, lifelong health and an immune system

protected from disease. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2015), vaccinations

come in the forms of shots and nasal sprays, giving aid to prevent specific diseases within the

body. In 2009, Fisher found that vaccinations are a way to prepare and protect the body from

diseases, ensuring that they do not enter the immune system (as cited in AAP, 2015).

Vaccinations consist of weakened forms of a bacteria/virus or a dead form of a disease carrying

organism. These organisms all carry antigens, which help to start the immune systems action

response to diseases (Abraham, 2016). Once the antigens are injected into the body, the immune

system is able to detect the them and begin fighting them off (AAP, 2015). Once it starts fighting

off the antigens, the immune system can safely learn to recognize them as hostile invaders,

produce antibodies, and remember them for the future (Abraham, 2016). Antibodies are
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proteins produced by the immune system to block germs from entering the body (Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016). Depending on what vaccination is given,

different antibodies will be produced. Antibodies are formed specific to the disease they are

working against. They prepare the body for when actual forms of a disease try to enter and will

remain inside set to do this job (AAP, 2015). By producing antibodies against germs and

diseases, the immune system is stronger and more able to fight off any threatening germs.

Vaccinations build up protection against diseases and ensure prolonged health (CDC, 2016). A

strong immune system will sustain life and allow for immunity against lurking germs and

diseases (Dowdy, 2015).

The benefits of vaccinations are lifesaving and crucial. In 2013, A New England Journal

of Medicine article discussing the University of Pittsburghs database of infectious diseases since

1888 found that since 1924, vaccinations have prevented 103 million cases of polio, measles,

rubella, mumps, hepatitis A, diphtheria, and pertussis (as cited in Welch, 2014). In addition, in

2014, Shot@Life (2014), an organization working towards the spread of vaccines within

developing countries, found that vaccinations save 2.5 million lives every year. More

specifically, Shot@Life (2014) discovered that the vaccination for the measles disease has

lowered the childhood death rate of measles by 74%. On the flip side, each year 20 million cases

of the measles occur throughout the world, with most of them consisting among children

(Frieden, 2015). With the 74% reduction, many cases of measles have been cured and young

lives have been saved. Due to their weak immune systems, children are more prone to catching

diseases and absorbing germs (Rodgers, 2015). By receiving vaccines, children will be at less

risk of adding to the list of the numerous measles cases around the world and live healthy lives
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free of disease and the possibility of disease induced deaths. Immunization among children will

allow the child morality rate to decrease and reduce the cases of fatal diseases among Americas

youth.

Pursuing vaccinations early on in ones life is the most effective way to receive great

health benefits. Because vaccinations provide many life saving aids, receiving them early on is

the best way to ensure immunity against diseases such as mumps, tetanus, rubella (German

measles) and many more (CDC, 2016). Children are also at greater risk for catching diseases

than adults, as their immune systems are much weaker than adult immune systems (Sun, 2016).

In addition, the complications intertwined within diseases are at their strongest amongst children.

Vaccinations will protect children from diseases, allowing their immune systems to greatly

strengthen (Steckelberg, 2016). Receiving vaccinations during childhood will not only decrease

ones own risk of obtaining diseases, but it will also reduce diseases within communities. As

stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Infection (2016),

immunizing individual children also helps to protect the health of our community,

especially those people who cannot be immunized (children who are too young to be

vaccinated, or those who cant receive certain vaccines for medical reasons), and the

small proportion of people who dont respond to a particular vaccine.

Vaccinations greatly affect children by aiding their health and guiding them to disease-free lives.

By strengthening childrens immune systems, vaccinations are leading children to healthy

futures. Not only do they give individual benefits, but vaccinations allow for community

immunity against illness, blocking out life-threatening diseases (Steckelberg, 2016).

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Problems

Throughout the years, the topic of vaccines has been a very large and controversial

debate. Whether to receive vaccinations or not has been an urging questions among parents and

families (Welch, 2014). American parents are very skeptical and untrusting about the claimed

effects and benefits given by vaccines. As of recently, the countrys leading cancer physicians

have been heavily pushing pediatricians and other medical practitioners to help spread the

awareness and use of the HPV vaccine (McGinley, 2016). HPV (human papillomavirus) is a

sexually transmitted infection that most cervical cancers are associated with (Steckelberg,

2016). Its vaccination has been found to decrease the thousands of cases of cancer among the

youth of the US. However, even 10 years after the urging from doctors begun, the usage of the

HPV vaccine hadnt increased. To this day, the number of HPV cases has continually expanded,

yet the vaccination still remains greatly unused (McGinley, 2016). The level of skepticism

among parents has been sustained even when the lifesaving benefits of vaccinations have been

put on the table. The usage, or non-usage, of vaccinations reflects the distrust throughout parents,

only growing the number of fatal disease cases (Dowdy, 2015).

Many misconceptions about vaccinations have surfaced throughout the years, leading to

the hesitancy and uncertainty among them. In 1997, the belief that vaccines cause autism was

born. In an article in The Lancet (a prestigious medical journal), Andrew Wakefield, a British

surgeon, suggested that the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine was increasing autism in

British children (as cited in Abraham, 2016). Though the article was later retracted and claimed

as fraudulent, the belief of a relationship between vaccinations and autism quickly swept over the

country, ultimately declining the usage of all vaccinations (Steckelberg, 2016). The question do
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vaccinations cause autism? is a large point among many health centers and websites (Welch,

2014). Parents are unsure if whether giving vaccinations to their children will cause the

development of autism or not. This misconception has lead to a huge decline among vaccine

usage due to fears about personal health safety as a direct response to Wakefields article. Many

parents have begun rejecting vaccinations for their children, sustaining the belief that autism is

tied to vaccinations (Abraham, 2016).

Without the awareness and facts about vaccines known throughout the nation, the usage

of vaccines will continue to decline, leading to the spread of many preventable diseases and an

increasing number of deaths. Before the measles vaccination was made, nearly everyone in the

U.S. got measles, and hundreds died from it each year (CDC, 2016). Without the population

receiving vaccinations, the cases of disease and illness will increase significantly (Abraham,

2016). Immunization will become scarce across the nation, while fatality will become abundant.

With the major misconceptions and doubtfulness associated with vaccinations, diseases will be

spread throughout communities and the rate of health related deaths will escalate.

Solutions and Actions

Earlier this year (2016), doctors have directly acting upon the problem of the underuse of

vaccinations. They have been opposing parents from their services who refuse to get their

children vaccinated (Healy, 2016). A policy statement was passed by the AAP (2015) allowing

pediatricians to have compassionate dialogues with parents to clear up misconceptions around

vaccines, provide accurate information about the safety and importance of vaccines, and strive

over time to help parents make the decision to vaccinate their child. The policy also allows

pediatricians to decline families refusing vaccinations from their practices and services (Healy,
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2016). By refusing services to families, doctors/pediatricians are hoping to protect their other

patients from the influence of refusing families and lower the number of childhood infectious

diseases (whooping cough, measles, and mumps) that have recently spiked due to anti-vaccine

movements (Sun, 2016). By writing and acting upon this policy statement, doctors have voiced

their opinions on vaccine use by making a stance on the vaccination debate.

Another acted upon solution to increase the use of vaccinations is that states have begun

requiring students to receive vaccinations in order to be allowed to attend school. In September

2014, changes to the Minnesota Immunization Law were enacted. The change states that the

new vaccines that will require documentation of immunization or legal exemption include:

Hepatitis A & B, Tdap, and Meningitis (meningococcal) (Minnesota Dept. of Health, 2014).

The statement listed ages and grades for when the vaccines are required and defined how parents

are to pass on the documentation to their childs school. The statement also gave exact dosage

dates for certain vaccines, clearly identifying the strict policies amongst vaccines and education

(Minnesota Dept. of Health, 2014). By requiring students of all ages between grades K-12 to be

immunized by many vaccinations, schools have set the fine line between getting an education

and not getting one. This solution will make health precautions parts of state law, deterring the

spread of diseases within large school communities. This law will allow children to be

vaccinated and safe from diseases from the very start of the education, all the way to the very

end of their education.

Vaccines increase the strength of ones immune system and sustain their life, giving them

secured health benefits and protection (AAP, 2015). However, due to the ongoing growth of

doubtfulness and misconceptions about vaccinations, the usage has severely plummeted. Parents
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are refusing vaccines and health services, leading to the spread of disease of illness. This

problem of vaccine usage will shrink by doctors refusing their medical services to

non-vaccinated patients and by students being required to receive vaccinations for school. When

a whole community is vaccinated and immune to disease, good health will be spread. Peoples

lives will be lengthened and composed with happiness. Together we can support increased

vaccination use to create a healthier future for our community.

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References

ACTION.org (2015). ACTION Vaccine Fact Sheet. Retrieved November 17, 2016, from

http://www.action.org/resources/item/action-vaccine-fact-sheet

AAP.org, (2015). Retrieved November 16, 2016, from

https://www.aap.org/en-us/Pages/Default.aspx

Abraham, A. (2016). Public Health Education, Career, and News for 2016. Retrieved November

27, 2016, from http://www.publichealth.org/

Centers for Disease Control and Preventionb. (2016). Vaccines and Immunizations. Retrieved

from https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/index.html

Dowdy, D. W. (2015). World Health Organization. Retrieved November 21, 2016, from

http://www.who.int/en/

Fisher, M. C. (2009). Immunizations & Infectious Diseases: An Informed Parent's Guide.

American Academy of Pediatrics.

Frieden, T. (2015, 02/23). Make vaccination mainstream. USA TODAY Retrieved from

http://sks.sirs.com

Healy, M. (2016, 08/29). Pushback on vaccine 'hesitancy'. Los Angeles Times Retrieved from

http://sks.sirs.com

McGinley, L. (2016, 06/20). Doctors urge use of HPV vaccine. Washington Post Retrieved from

http://sks.sirs.com

Minnesota Dept. of Health. (2014). Immunization Rule Revision. Retrieved November 27, 2016, from

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/immunize/immrule/newlawfs.html
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Rodgers, J. (2015, 01/19). Refusing measles vaccine could put others at risk. Gazette (Colorado

Springs, CO) Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com

Shot@Life (2014). The Solution: Vaccines. Retrieved from www.shotatlife.org

Steckelberg, J. M. (2016, November 4). HPV vaccine: Who needs it, how it works. Retrieved

November 21, 2016, from

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hpv-infection/in-depth/hpv-vaccine/art-20

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Sun, L. H. (2016, 11/13). On vaccinations, a pointed shift for pediatricians. Washington Post

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Welch, M.,et al. (2014, 04). Should vaccines be mandatory? Reason, , 18-26. Retrieved from

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