The challenges and opportunities associated with biology and its relationship to technology are instrumental in framing many theories and concepts of 21st Century living. The information that is available on a widespread basis has many implications for individuals and provides them with a variety of tools and resources which are important in many areas of their lives. From this perspective, many issues are of concern to individuals, based upon the knowledge that is available; therefore, these issues must be addressed more closely to determine how they impact human health and wellbeing. For instance, there are many arguments for children obtaining vaccinations that have existed for many decades, but there are increasing arguments against these vaccines in preventing a variety of communicable diseases during childhood and into adulthood. These concerns and controversies must be further addressed to determine how to best move forward with a strategy to improve the lives of children and to ensure that vaccinations are used as appropriate.
Body
Vaccine-related controversies have emerged over the past decade in response to some of the correlations of these methods to Autism Spectrum Disorder and other related conditions. Therefore, it is important to determine how vaccines work in the body and to address the benefits that they provide to human health. For instance, vaccines are used on a widespread basis to provide the immune system with the tools required to fight different types of diseases, many of which can be very serious (Vaccines.gov, 2018). Vaccines function by providing a wall of immunity against diseases that may include influenza, the chicken pox, measles, rabies, tetanus, cholera, polio, mumps, and human papilloma virus, among others, and aim to strengthen immunity in children and adults throughout the life span (Vaccines.gov, 2018). Vaccines are typically administered via different methods, including oral by mouth (rotavirus), subcutaneous just under the skin (MMR, VAR), intramuscular into the muscle tissue (DTaP, HPV, TT), intradermal deeper into the skin (Fluzone ID), and intranasal directly into the nose (some types of influenza) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Each of these administration routes may pose safety risks, such as pain at the injection site, swelling, and an allergic reaction to the vaccine; therefore, it is important for healthcare providers to address the challenges of vaccine administration with parents and directly with patients to improve outcomes and to mitigate any symptoms associated with these vaccines (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017).
Use your promo and get a custom paper on
"Biology and Technology in the Real World".
Over the past century, there have been significant improvements associated with vaccination development and implementation, including the almost entire eradication of polio, along with similar results for measles; furthermore, there have been dramatic improvements in reducing early deaths around the world from communicable diseases in many underdeveloped countries due to increased vaccination rates (Greenwood, 2014). Therefore, these incidents demonstrate that vaccinations remain a critical component of improving global health and providing greater immunity against a wide range of diseases which impact children and families (Greenwood, 2014). Nonetheless, vaccinations remain challenging in some of the most vulnerable population groups and require further expansion to ensure that children and adults receive these vaccinations to reduce the risk of hospitalization and even death attributed to different disease states (Greenwood, 2014). In this capacity, vaccines have been instrumental in providing a framework for advancing the life span of many population groups for over a century and continue to be influential in these areas (Greenwood, 2014).
Despite the many benefits of vaccines, many parents are hesitant to allow their children to obtain them, due to information regarding the potential increased risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder and other conditions that has been attributed to vaccines in some literature, thereby questioning their safety (McKee & Bohannan, 2016). Some parents also have philosophical or religious perspectives regarding vaccines which limit their use, thereby increasing their hesitancy to use these vaccines (McKee & Bohannan, 2016). Since much of the information regarding vaccination safety is reported in the media, it can have a significant effect on parents’ hesitancy to allow vaccinations for their children, including the risk of disease and the schedule of vaccinations that are recommended (McKee & Bohannan, 2016). Therefore, it is necessary for healthcare providers to examine methods which will provide greater knowledge and support in addressing parents’ questions regarding vaccinations and how these issues may be clarified with open and honest communication regarding vaccinations which will benefit parents and their children (McKee & Bohannan, 2016). This information is critical in providing parents with the ability to make informed decisions based upon facts and to determine if vaccinations are the right choice for their children (McKee & Bohannan, 2016).
Conclusion
Vaccines provide numerous benefits to the human population across all age and population groups. These discoveries have been instrumental in reducing the risk of death from disease for over a century and have provided many benefits to patients. However, there have been many questions raised regarding the impact of vaccines on children’s health and how these questions may pose additional challenges for parents in making informed decisions regarding vaccines, including their appropriateness, timing, and other considerations. Most importantly, parents must have the facts regarding the benefits versus the disadvantages of vaccines to determine how these factors may influence their decisions and how these tools can benefit children in a variety of important ways. Parents who have this knowledge can make informed decisions regarding vaccinations and how to best move forward with a strategy to protect their children from disease risk and harm throughout their young lives.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2017). Administer the vaccine(s). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/
- Greenwood, B. (2014). The contribution of vaccination to global health: past, present and future. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B, 369(1645), 20130433.
- McKee, C., & Bohannon, K. (2016). Exploring the reasons behind parental refusal of vaccines. The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 21(2), 104-109. Vaccines.gov (2018). Vaccines protect you. Retrieved from https://www.vaccines.gov/
