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dc.contributor.advisorPitts, Cornelius D.
dc.creatorSomayaji, Khyati
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-22T20:08:35Z
dc.date.available2023-05-22T20:08:35Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12613/8569
dc.description.abstractVaccines are a scientifically proven method of preventing disease. Immunization has eradicated and continues to protect individuals from life-threatening and fatal diseases. However, as a public health measure, trust in efficacy and safety of vaccines has not been unanimous since their inception. Historically, acceptance of vaccination as a method for disease prevention has been debated since development of the smallpox vaccine. Vaccine hesitancy exists on a spectrum with the advent of each new vaccine but has been amplified in the present day COVID-19 pandemic across the United States. Higher vaccination rates have been associated with lower COVID-19 caseload, a miracle for special populations such as pregnant, pediatric, and older patients at higher risk for COVID-19 complications. This thesis seeks to explore, through a bioethical lens, the factors that contribute to the growth of today’s vaccine hesitancy movement. I highlight previous vaccine hesitancy movements and hesitancy today by examining multiple themes present in literature. I argue that describing a patient as an “Anti-Vaxxer” further ostracizes them from the healthcare institution, politicizes a healthcare issue, and generates inequitable healthcare. I use the example of Philadelphia’s own COVID-19 vaccination response through interviews with involved individuals. In terms of solutions, I propose open and persistent conversation between healthcare institutions and community, public education, and structural reform. The key concern of this thesis is to explore how to navigate a complex healthcare ecosystem regarding vaccination and strategies to ensure patient safety while maintaining the bioethical principles of autonomy and agency.
dc.format.extent44 pages
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherTemple University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartofTheses and Dissertations
dc.rightsIN COPYRIGHT- This Rights Statement can be used for an Item that is in copyright. Using this statement implies that the organization making this Item available has determined that the Item is in copyright and either is the rights-holder, has obtained permission from the rights-holder(s) to make their Work(s) available, or makes the Item available under an exception or limitation to copyright (including Fair Use) that entitles it to make the Item available.
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
dc.subjectMedical ethics
dc.subjectImmunology
dc.subjectHealth education
dc.subjectDisparities
dc.subjectHealthcare
dc.subjectUrban bioethics
dc.subjectVaccination
dc.titleVaccination Hesitancy Through the Ages: The Past, Present, and Future Implications
dc.typeText
dc.type.genreThesis/Dissertation
dc.description.departmentUrban Bioethics
dc.relation.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.34944/dspace/8533
dc.ada.noteFor Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation, including help with reading this content, please contact scholarshare@temple.edu
dc.description.degreeM.A.
dc.identifier.proqst15171
dc.creator.orcid0000-0002-4824-7059
dc.date.updated2023-05-19T15:11:07Z
refterms.dateFOA2023-05-22T20:08:35Z
dc.identifier.filenameSomayaji_temple_0225M_15171.pdf


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