Vaccinations, Public Health and American Science Education
There was an alarming article in today’s New Times which reported that greater numbers of parents are rejecting vaccination for their children. You may ask, “How is this possible. Aren’t childhood vaccinations mandatory? Well, yes and no. As it turns out, 20 states including California, Texas and Ohio allow some kind of personal belief exemption from otherwise mandatory childhood vaccinations. And, more and more parents are opting out every year. In 1991, less than 1% of children in states with personal belief exemptions went without vaccinations. By 2004, the most recent year for which data are available, the percentages swelled to over 2.5 %. Frighteningly, according to a 2006 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, exemption rates of 15% to 18% has been found in certain areas of Oregon, Washington and California.
So, what is responsible for this startling increase? Unfortunately, misinformation on the Internet promulgated by American news media outlets has caused some parents to question the safety of many childhood vaccines including those for measles, mumps, rubella, and diphtheria and whooping cough. Although parents who opt to not vaccinate their children believe that they are protecting them from serious vaccine-induced side effects, they are, in reality, increasing the risk that their children and others may contract these diseases. Surprisingly, many parents who choose not to vaccinate their children are aware hat they may be placing other children at risk. For instance, in the NY Times article, one mother chose not to vaccinate her child said, “I cannot deny that my child can put someone else at risk”
The growing US anti-vaccination movement has caused serious alarm among many infectious disease specialists and public health officials– and with good reason. This year, there was an unusual outbreak of measles in California in which 12 unvaccinated children contracted the disease. In 2005, there was a mumps outbreak in Iowa that infected 239 people (many of whom were vaccinated) and in 2006 there was a measles outbreak in Indiana that affected 28 unvaccinated children. Ironically, the success of the US childhood vaccination program may be its “Achilles heel.” according to some epidemiologists. This is because most American parents, unlike their counterparts in developing countries where childhood disease like measles are rampant, have never seen measles and don’t understand the seriousness of the disease. According to one public health official “They do not perceive the risk of the disease but perceive risk of the vaccine”. Also, unvaccinated children can serve as disease reservoirs or carriers and unwittingly infect older people (whose immunity has waned over time), immunocompromised individuals (cancer, autoimmune and HIV/AIDS patients)
and even vaccinated children who failed to develop sufficient immunity.
So what does the anti-vaccine movement have to do with American science education? Simply put, most Americans don’t understand the basic principles or fundamental concepts of biology and medicine. This should come as no surprise. According to recent surveys, 40% of Americans don’t graduate from high school. .Further, many college-educated non-science professionals have trouble discerning fact from fiction when it comes to science. Their lack of concern or disdain for science is frequently expressed in financial terms. Why should I become a scientist (with an advanced degree) and make $65,000 to $75,000 when I can make $75,000 to $100,000 a year with an undergraduate degree in business or finance? I don’t know–call me crazy– but sometimes there are more important things in life to consider than money–like vaccinating our children so that they are protected against potentially life-threatening diseases!
Until next time….
Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!
