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John T. Jensen
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to compare the findings of 5 published articles to explain
vaccine fear and the effects it has on society in the United States and possible
implications it has on society in the future. These articles study different aspects of
vaccines, from vaccine rates to perceived risks of vaccines and the opposite correlational
data against perceived risks. These studies suggest that autism and likened syndromes
have no causation due to vaccines, and that fear of these syndromes as a result of
vaccines are causing availability for harsh diseases like measles to be contracted and
Vaccine Fear
Vaccine Fear, is fear from perceived risks or side effects from Vaccines. The large
majority of VF today is due to the whole cell pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine scare and the
MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine scare in England and Wales. Both of which started
after fraudulent publications were made claiming that these vaccines had causation of autism and
colitis. A study performed by Arch Gen Psychiatry showed that in California from 1995 to 2007
autism continued to increase, per the California Department of Developmental Services, even
though thimerosal was drastically reduced or removed from all vaccines in the same time. This
study shoes opposite correlation, and helps to disprove that vaccines have any cause in autism
The effects of vaccine fear are prominent in numerous studies are few of which are An
Outbreak of Measles in an Under Vaccinated Community (PEDIATRICS Vol. 134 No. 1 July 01,
has given way to the most amounts of pertussis cases, 9120, since 1947. (Atwell JE et al 2010).
The study also suggest that a larger ratio of the pertussis cases was reported in clusters of NME
children. Conclusions were made that NME clusters played a significant role in the pertussis
outbreak in California. Even when NME arent the case not following proper vaccine protocol
can increase the chance of disease outbreak. In Minnesota in 2011 there was a measles outbreak
exposing 3000 individuals and 21 contracting the disease (PEDIATRICS Vol. 134, 2014). The
source of the outbreak was a 30-month-old American born Somali that traveled to Kenya,
contracted the disease, and came back and spread the disease. Out of the 21 people that
contracted the disease 16 of them were not vaccinated, which isnt surprise because vaccination
rates amongst Somali children decreased from 91.1% vaccinated in 2004 to 54.0% vaccinated in
2010. Again, showing that at vaccination rates decrease regardless of intent or reason, risk of
Discussion
Vaccines are a necessity in this world, its a fact. We need them to protect ourselves
against horrible diseases that have plagued thousands and thousands of people throughout time.
The studies that this paper discusses the effect of Vaccine Fear on society, and shows that we
At first glance, U.S. vaccination rates appear reasonable: coverage among children entering
kindergarten exceeds 90% for most recommended vaccines. A closer look, however, reveals
substantial local variation. In Washington State's San Juan County, for example, 72% of
kindergartners and 89% of sixth graders are either noncompliant with or exempt from vaccination
requirements for school entry. Only 52.5% of kindergartners and 4% of sixth graders were
adequately immunized against pertussis for the 20102011 school year.1 Not surprisingly, the
county also has one of the state's highest incidence rates of pertussis (Diekema, 2008)
Despite the need of Vaccines, I think Vaccine Fear is valid. Not in the cases of NME and
being noncompliant, but that people should be asking for research done on Vaccines. Rates of
cancer and autism have dramatically increased over the last 60 years, and I think seeking any
possible answers and solutions is valid. People fear the unknown, thats human nature, but the
fear of the unknown should not trump common sense that everyone should be vaccinated.
THE EFFECTS OF FEAR VACCINE
References
Bauch, C. T., & Bhattacharyya, S. (2012, April 5). Evolutionary Game Theory and Social
Learning Can Determine How Vaccine Scares Unfold. Retrieved April 21, 2017, from
http://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1002452#s4
Diekema, D. S., MD. (2012, February 8). Improving Childhood Vaccination Rates.
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1113008#t=article
Gahr, P., DeVries, A. S., Wallace, G., Miller, C., Kenyon, C., Sweet, K., . . . Lynfield, R.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/134/1/e220..info
JE, A., J, V. O., J, Z., K, W., K, H., DA, S., . . . SB, O. (2013, October). Nonmedical vaccine
exemptions and pertussis in California, 2010. Retrieved April 21, 2017, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24082000
developmental services system: mercury in retrograde. Retrieved April 21, 2017, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18180424