Public Health Measure - Immunizations
What has the “greatest impact on human mortality reduction and population growth (compared) to any other health intervention besides clean water” according to J.P. Baker (2000)? The answer is…..Immunizations (as cited in Berger 2009).
Signficance of Topic
I chose immunization as my public health measure of choice because of how critical it is for all children. Access and cost are two factors that could mean life or death for a child anywhere in the world. Access and cost are addressed in the Affordable Care Act of 2010 which requires that health care plans cover preventive services recommended by doctors and experts at no cost to the patient. This includes immunizations recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, including routine immunizations for children (http://www.healthcare.gov/law/about/provisions/services/background.html). I feel strongly that high co-pay payments or deductibles should not stand in the way of a life-saving vaccine for a child.
Immunizations in Cuba
Cuba has had a National Immunization Program since 1962. This program has contributed to the eradication of nine infectious diseases (polio, whooping cough, neonatal tetanus, measles, mumps meningioencephalitis, malaria, rubella, diphtheria, and congenital rubella syndrome . Almost all children are the beneficiaries of a free immunization program that protects them against 13 preventable diseases.
I would like to emphasize two goals of Cuba’s immunization program: 1) vaccinate all children and 2) at no cost (Reed, G., Galindo, MS., Galindo, MA, 2007). These two goals align with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. In fact, WHO Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Monitoring System, 2006 Global Summary reports that 94 – 99% of Cuban children under 16 years old have been vaccinated (as cited in Reed, G., Galindo, MS., Galindo, MA., 200). (Percent varies within this range depending on the specific vaccine.) Cuba’s immunization program is a model program, which proves preventive care at no cost is possible when you make it a national priority, and its saves lives.
Impact on My Future Work
When I transition into the early childhood or education field, I realize that requiring immunization records and/or educating parents on where they can go to vaccinate their children at no cost is a simple act that can actually make the difference between life and death.
Reference:
Berger, K. S. (2009). Introduction, The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). (p. 209). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
Tinder, P. (2011, March). Cuba set to vaccinate 500,000 children against polio. vaccinenewsdaily.com. Retrieved from http://vaccinenewsdaily.com/news/235862-cuba-set-to-vaccinate-500000-children-against-polio
Reed, G., Galindo, MS., Galindo, MA. (Fall, 2007) Cuba’s National Immunization Program. MEDICC Review. 9(1), p 5 – 7. Retrieved from http://mediccreview.medicc.org/articles/mr_56.pdf
Hi Joy,
ReplyDeleteDid any of your resources discuss the problems/health risks with the actual immunizations? Recently in the media, researchers were making a correlation between immunizations and autism, and other brain and physical development issues. I have friend who has not and will not have her children immunized. My oldest daughter had some major health problems when she was young and now that I know what I know I think her immunizations caused the problems.
I recently got a DTaP immunization and my arm was red, hot, and swollen for a week. Yes, I'd rather had that than lock-jaw and I know that the diseases had literally wiped out groups of people, like Native Americans. However, I think there is more to know about the actual vaccines and affect on children.
My Mom is a public health nurse and we go round and roung on this topic. I'm not anti-immunization I just think we don't have all the information.
Kristi
Thanks for the insight on immunization, time and time again I here parents say that their child is not getting those shots because of personal reasons.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever read any information on the merucary that's found in some of the shots?
I find the controversy on immunizations to be interesting and infurriating at the same time. As the parent of a child who has a diagnosis on the autism spectrum, it is often assumed that I am anti-immunization. Quite the contrary. I will admit that I have advocated for an alternate immunization schedule for children who are at higher risk of ASD diagnosis because of a family history of ASD or bipolar diagnois, or children with previous reactions to immunizations; I do not belive that immunizations cause autism. If there was a correlation between the MMR and autism, every child who received the MMR vaccine would fall on the ASD spectrum.
ReplyDeleteI quickly tried to find autism data for Cuba, and found little. I think it would be interesting to chart the incidence of Autism in a country like Cuba with a national immunization program compared to a country like the US that has rapidly rising autism diagnosis numbers.
~Lora