RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Vaccinations are a way accepted by science of the struggle against infectious diseases. Because of their epidemiological significance, vaccinations are considered compulsory in many countries and their evasion is penalized. The WHO experts list anti-vaccine attitudes and movements among the top 10 threats to human health. Most people's refusals are mainly due to fears of anti-vaccine propaganda. Understanding this phenomenon will be the basis for improving the epidemiological situation in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study is based on the analysis of data stored in scientific databases, as well as information obtained from Google, Bing and Yahoo and newspapers, magazines and opinion-forming websites. RESULTS: The anti-vaccine movements occur due different motivations, such as ignorance, fear and religious beliefs. Sometimes they can be supported by foreign services aimed at destabilization in selected areas of the globe. CONCLUSIONS: Increased activity and effective propaganda carried out by anti-vaccination movements is possible, among others, thanks to the development of the so-called 2nd generation of the Internet (Web2), enabling the free and difficult to control flow of information. Increasing data indicate that the activity of anti-vaccine movements may be a form of organized action (diversion in cyberspace) aimed at social, epidemiological, and economic destabilization of selected countries and regions. Among the various forms of combating anti-vaccination movements currently used are awareness-raising activities and restrictions on freedom on the Internet by monitoring information flow, blocking materials containing selected phrases or keywords associated with anti-vaccine propaganda, and sanctions imposed on people avoiding vaccination.
Asunto(s)
Movimiento Anti-Vacunación/psicología , Vacunación/psicología , Movimiento Anti-Vacunación/estadística & datos numéricos , Atención a la Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Miedo , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Humanos , Polonia , Interacción Social , Vacunación/estadística & datos numéricosRESUMEN
The article describes the growing anti-vaccine movements in the context of right-wing populism, which is also gaining popularity around the world. According to the authors, these two phenomena have a lot in common, and the activists of the anti-vaccine movements often intermingle with populist right-wing movements. The connection between anti-vaccine activists and populists is illustrated in the analysis of discourse and anti-vaccine arguments presented in materials on the Polish-language YouTube channel, as well as in comments on YouTube forums. The slogans of the defence of 'ordinary people' against 'corrupt elites' in the medical dimension indicate a dislike for 'medical conspiracy' and doctors corrupted by pharmaceutical concerns. Just like right-wing populists, opponents of vaccines in Poland refer to nationalist slogans and have an aversion to the European Union. In addition to the rejection of the WHO standards on sex education and the sceptic attitude to environmental changes, the rejection of vaccines is another manifestation of the conspiracy ideologies of right-wing populists in Poland that may affect health and health policy. In the area of public health, this means rejecting medical knowledge and replacing it with myths and prejudices proclaimed by anti-vaccine movements, among others.
Asunto(s)
Movimiento Anti-Vacunación , Política , Medios de Comunicación Sociales , Humanos , Polonia , Salud PúblicaRESUMEN
Vaccinations in Poland and other industrialized countries have been in the firing line for more than two decades. Members of the "anti-vaccine movement" and alternative medicine supporters are openly reluctant to this form of preventing infectious diseases, however their arguments are not based on reliable medical data. Contrary to false theories, the threat of infectious diseases is not lower than in the past. What is more, it has escalated in recent years as a result of the increasing number of parents who avoid vaccinations. Nevertheless, erroneous arguments find a breeding ground among parents or guardians of children covered by vaccination programs undermining trust in vaccines in general. In this situation, it is the responsibility of: physicians who provide preventive care for children, administrative bodies responsible for implementing immunization but also medical schools and other healthcare institutions, on the one hand to raise the level of social awareness about the meaning of vaccination, and on the other to effectively oppose the anti-vaccine propaganda. The way to achieve these goals is to thoroughly understand social needs and constantly improve the professional qualifications of primary care physicians, midwives, community nurses and doctors of different specialties who have daily contact with children and their parents. The key area of focus should also be to place greater emphasis on education about the prevention of infectious diseases among students of all medical school faculties.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedades Transmisibles , Vacunación , Movimiento Anti-Vacunación , Humanos , PadresRESUMEN
Dynamically changing social situation associated with migrations, increasing freedom rights, popularity of anti-vaccine movements and the resulting from that decrease in herd immunity, forces the medical society and the governments of various countries to reflect on the attitude toward vaccinations. Issues of freedoms and self-determination frequently do not accept any medical coercion in case of prophylactic vaccinations, however, recent waves of epidemics revealed that there is a necessity for undertaking strict legal actions to encourage vaccinations. After analyzing various legal approaches toward vaccinations we believe that personal coercion in case of vaccination refusal has too far reaching sanctions and propose the possibility of balancing the right to autonomy and the medical coercion. We postulate that vaccination refusal should be equivalent with covering frequently high medical costs in case of infection, The threat of financing medical treatment should influence the decision making process of those opposing vaccinations simultaneously respecting their rights not too get vaccinated.