Mentor/s
Professor Jennifer McLaughlin
Participation Type
Paper Talk
Abstract
Much of modern society is the way it is today thanks to one key advancement in medicine: the development of the vaccination. Without vaccinations, diseases such as small pox and diphtheria could be detrimental to society just as they had been in 18th century Europe (Riedel 2005). Despite their beneficial effect on mankind, many people still question their existence and protest their use. This is due to the influential role of mass media in todays society. The media has allowed misconceptions regarding vaccinations to spread through society at the touch of a button thanks to the easy access of social media and news-outlets from technology. Despite the medias role in vaccination rates, culture and social characteristics has also been shown to have an effect on vaccination rates. In order to successfully overcome the controversial nature of vaccinations, we must utilize the media in a positive way, form educational outreach programs, and provide opportunities for low-income areas.
College and Major available
Biology
Location
Panel K: Academic Building HC 223
Start Day/Time
4-24-2019 12:30 PM
End Day/Time
4-24-2019 1:45 PM
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Prize Categories
Most Scholarly Impact or Potential, Most Creative, Most Meaningful
The Controversial Nature of Vaccinations
Panel K: Academic Building HC 223
Much of modern society is the way it is today thanks to one key advancement in medicine: the development of the vaccination. Without vaccinations, diseases such as small pox and diphtheria could be detrimental to society just as they had been in 18th century Europe (Riedel 2005). Despite their beneficial effect on mankind, many people still question their existence and protest their use. This is due to the influential role of mass media in todays society. The media has allowed misconceptions regarding vaccinations to spread through society at the touch of a button thanks to the easy access of social media and news-outlets from technology. Despite the medias role in vaccination rates, culture and social characteristics has also been shown to have an effect on vaccination rates. In order to successfully overcome the controversial nature of vaccinations, we must utilize the media in a positive way, form educational outreach programs, and provide opportunities for low-income areas.
Students' Information
Biology Major, Thomas More Honors Student, Class of 2019