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Causes And Effect Of Negative Attitude To Immunization Among Couples
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CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Immunization is recognized as a
safe and effective method of preventing disease (National Advisory
Committee on Immunization, 1998); however, not all parents choose to
immunize their children and not all couples choose to maintain or update
their own immunization status. The goal of this thesis is to understand
why young couples (parents or future parents) make the decisions they
do and how they arrive at those decisions. Health scientists need to
acquire an understanding of the experience of people in relation to
their environments for the purpose of increasing their potential for
health. Improved health policies may be developed if we can understand
how to serve our populations better as a whole. It is more useful to put
into place policy that will be meaningful and followed, than blanket
statements that do not put the population's needs first. This study
contributes to a better understanding of the thought processes behind
persons who choose to delay or refuse immunizations irrespective of the
policy environment. The area of immunization is as complex as a mosaic,
and true to this metaphor, every tile of information contributes to the
overall picture while remaining distinct. This thesis is presented as
another tile. Currently in Amuzi community in Obowo L.G.A, mainstream
immunization is voluntary, though strongly encouraged and freely
dispensed to all citizens. Changes are on-going in mandatory
immunization policy provincially. Alberta and Saskatchewan pride
themselves in not having moved to mandatory laws due to the public
health delivery systems in place. (Personal communication, P.
Hasselback, January, 2002). As long as most people comply, the herd
immunity remains strong and the risk for developing vaccine reventable
diseases remains low. However, certain groups in the population do not
agree with immunization for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons
include theological constraints, belief structures that favor "natural"
immunity, beliefs that immunization is dangerous to children, mistrust
in pharmaceutical companies and a belief in alternative health therapies
such as provided by naturopaths and chiropractors.
What about
apathy? Funk and Wagnells (1982) describe this as indifference and lack
of interest. Do couples feel immunization is important? Do they think
about it during their daily lives? What will our future generation of
parents do to contribute to herd immunity when they have never seen the
diseases the vaccines are designed to prevent? What will happen when the
next generation feels overly confident that they will not be touched by
these diseases because they are perceived as a "Third World problem" or
when they do not understand the ramifications of the diseases? Lack of
knowledge of our own immune systems in the general population is high.
Because of the complexity of interactions between anatomical structures
and biochemistry most laypersons shrug their shoulders when asked how
basic immunological functions occur.
Policies encouraging health
education may emphasize the importance of citizens taking a pro-active
role in understanding their bodies and what they can do to remain
healthy. In this day of reduced health care budgets more emphasis needs
to be placed on prevention of disease. Immunization is an integral cog
to the wheel. An analysis of this issue indicates a need for more
knowledge to guide health care workers and policy-makers in contributing
to immunization.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]BACKGROUND: Lack of information has been associated with couples anxiety or concern in a number of healthcare areas. OBJECTIVES: (1) Identify the proportion of parents who agreed, were neutral, and disagreed that they had access to enough information to make a decision about immunizing their child; (2) examine how parents who agreed and disagreed differed with respect to sociodemographic characteristics, and their attitudes about immunizations, their child's healthcare provider, immunization req ... Continue reading---
