Factors That Influence Measles Immunisation Uptake in England - Literature review Example

the literature reveals the extent to which the research has already been done, existing gaps, and the dimension of this research. The literature review begins by looking at the resurgence (revival) of measles in the UK, then the world before looking at factors influencing measles immunization.
Section 2.2: Resurgence of measles in the UK
As earlier noted, the UK has an organized childhood immunization program that goes on to evolve as well as develop in satisfying the demand to enhance and manage preventable infectious diseases such as measles, mumps, and rubella (Austin, et al., 2008). This program is taken care of by the Health protection Authority in the government department of health. The program is meant to protect children against all infectious diseases. This noble objective saw the introduction of the MMR vaccine in 1988 and a second dose of it in 1996. Although reports released by the government and other sources indicate increased uptake of MMR vaccine, the recommended herd immunity has never been achieved. The herd immunity recommended is 95% of the target population (Hill & Cox, 2013). Herd immunity level means that the child immunization program has succeeded in preventing disease outbreaks of infectious diseases such as measles.
Cases of infectious disease identified as measles were notified in England and Wales first in 1940. In an effort to curb the prevalence of the disease, a single monovalent (antigen) measles vaccine was included in the childhood program of immunization in the UK after 28 years (Schoenbaum, 1976). Nonetheless, the coverage of the vaccine was not encouraging over the subsequent 20 years. This made curbing measles transmission over the 20 year period impossible (Hill & Cox, 2013). As a result, between 50,000 and 100,000 measles cases were notified yearly. This forced the government to think about a way of increasing the use of the measles vaccine, which led to the introduction of the MMR vaccine in October 1988 in the place of the measles vaccine. The introduction of the MMR vaccine was also expected to help reduce mortality rates. After a measles outbreak was reported in Quebec, Canada in 1989 (one year down the line), it was proposed that a single MMR vaccine was not able to offer adequate seroprotection to reach herd immunity levels of 95 percent (Austin, et al., 2008).
A two-dose schedule has been tested, proved, and demonstrated in the United States of America and Finland to be more effective (Petrovic, et al., 2001). Thus, a second dose of the MMR vaccine was included in the UK immunization program for children in October 1996 (Hackett, 2008). In the beginning, the inclusion of a second MMR vaccine showed a decrease in outbreaks of rubella and measles from 1996-1998. However, the decrease in the incidences of rubella and measles did not reflect on the case of mumps. Mumps cases were continually notified rising during this period with 94 mumps confirmed in 1996 and up to 121 cases in 1998 (Demicheli, et al., 2005).
Section 2.2: MMR vaccination issues
Section 2.2.1: MMR vaccine controversy
Following the intrigues that marred the introduction of the MMR vaccine, Wakefield and colleagues in 1998, published a paper in The Lancet concerning side effects associated with the MMR vaccine (Horton, 2004). The researcher had learned that the vaccine was introduced in three brands. However, two brands were quickly withdrawn four years afterward because they were causing children to suffer from meningitis at an alarming and unacceptable rate (Wakefield, 2010).