“One of the greatest medical success stories:” Physicians and nurses’ small stories about vaccine knowledge and anxieties

Terra Manca

Social Science & Medicine, 2018, vol. 196, issue C, 182-189

Abstract: In recent years, the Canadian province of Alberta experienced outbreaks of measles, mumps, pertussis, and influenza. Even so, the dominant cultural narrative maintains that vaccines are safe, effective, and necessary to maintain population health. Many vaccine supporters have expressed anxieties that stories contradicting this narrative have lowered herd immunity levels because they frighten the public into avoiding vaccination. As such, vaccine policies often emphasize educating parents and the public about the importance and safety of vaccination. These policies rely on health professionals to encourage vaccine uptake and assume that all professionals support vaccination.

Keywords: Canada; Alberta; Health professions; Immunisation; Narrative analysis; Pharmaceuticalisation; Risk; Vaccine anxieties (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.11.027

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